The MPCA monitors the quality of our groundwater and protects it from contamination.
Use the searches below to find monitoring results from the MPCA's ambient groundwater monitoring and landfill monitoring programs.
- Groundwater data: Text-based search. Find a particular groundwater monitoring station (well) by entering its identification number, or retrieve a list of stations that satisfy other search criteria. View or download monitoring data from any station. Obtain well descriptions through a link to the Minnesota Department of Health's County Well Index database.
- Groundwater data: Map-based search. Use an interactive map to find a particular monitoring station, then view or download its data.
Recent reports on chemicals in groundwater
Perfluorinated Chemicals in Minnesota's Ambient Groundwater, 2013 (wq-am4-02)
Endocrine Active Chemicals and Other Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Minnesota’s Groundwater, 2009-2010
The MPCA's recent report provides significant information about groundwater in Minnesota. Baseline testing of 40 wells was done to find out what chemicals of emerging concern are currently in our groundwater and how they might be harmful. Chemicals of emerging concern are not commonly monitored and include pharmaceuticals and personal care products. This information is passed on to the Department of Health so it can establish health guidelines.
This study suggested endocrine active chemicals and other contaminants of emerging concern to human health were present at low concentrations in the groundwater underlying urban areas in Minnesota that may be affected by wastewater contamination. Over 80% of the detected chemicals were measured at very low concentrations. No concentrations exceeded any applicable health guidance values established by the Minnesota Department of Health.
The most frequently detected chemicals were the fire retardant tris (dichloroisopropyl) phosphate, the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole, and the plasticizers bisphenol A and tributyl phosphate, which were detected in approximately 20% of the sampled wells.
The endocrine active chemicals (EACs) were detected in three of the sampled wells. The detected EACs were bisphenol A, trans-diethylstilbestrol, and 4-cumylphenol. Two of the wells with detections of these chemicals tapped a landfill-leachate plume, and the remaining well was shallow and supplied water to a residence.
This study was made possible through funding from the Clean Water Legacy Amendment.
| Date |
Publication name |
| 2013, August |
The Condition of Minnesota’s Groundwater, 2007-2011: Summary |
| 2013, August |
The Condition of Minnesota’s Groundwater, 2007-2011 |
| 2007, Sept. |
Minnesota's Groundwater Condition - A Statewide View |
| 2002, August |
Groundwater Quality Beneath Twin Cities Metropolitan Communities Served by Individual Sewage Treatment Systems (file size=7MB) |
| 2001, June |
Effects of Land Use on Ground Water Quality, St. Cloud Area, Minnesota - Summary of Results from 1997 through 2000 |
| 2001, June |
Effects of Land Use on Ground Water Quality, St. Cloud Area, Minnesota - Short Report |
| 2001, April |
Effects of liquid manure storage systems on ground water quality - Summary (2001) |
| 2001, April |
Effects of liquid manure storage systems on ground water quality (2001) |
| 2001, March |
Groundwater Monitoring in the Verdi Wellhead Protection Area - 2000 Annual Report |
| 2000, May |
Groundwater Quality in Cottage Grove, Minnesota |
| 2000, April |
Groundwater Quality Under Three Unsewered Subdivisions in Minnesota |
| 1999, August |
Baseline Groundwater Quality Information for Minnesota's Ten Surface Water Basins |
| 1999, June |
Effects of Septic Systems on Ground Water Quality in Baxter, Minnesota |
| |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers; Regional Baseline Reports (Regions 1-6): |
| 1999, March |
1) Northeast Region |
| 1998, October |
2) North Central Region |
| 1999, March |
3) Northwest Region |
| 1998, June |
4) Southwest Region |
| 1999, March |
5) Southeast Region |
| 1999, March |
6) Metro Region |
| 1999, March |
Summary of Observations and Analysis of Field Techniques for Assessing Hydrology and Water Quality of Groundwater |
| 1998, December |
Water Quality in the upper 15 feet of a Shallow Sand Aquifer in variable land use setting |
| 1998, September |
Nitrate in Minnesota Groundwater: A GWMAP Perspective |
| 1998, March |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers |
| Date |
Publication name |
| 1999, May |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers - Southeast Region Report Summary |
| 1999, April |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers - Northeast Region Report Summary |
| 1999, April |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers - North Central Region Report Summary |
| 1999, April |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers - Northwest Region Report Summary |
| 1999, April |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers - Southwest Region Report Summary |
| 1999, April |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers - Metro Region Report Summary |
| 1999, June |
Effects of Septic Systems on Groundwater Quality - Baxter, Minnesota - Report Summary |
| 1998, September |
Nitrate in Minnesota Groundwater: A GWMAP Perspective - Report Summary |
| 1998, June |
Understanding Land Use Effects on Groundwater, St. Cloud Area Study First Year Summary - Report Summary |
| 1998, April |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers — Report Summary |
| 2001, April |
Groundwater Quality Adjacent to Animal Feedlots |
| 2001, March |
Groundwater Monitoring in The Verdi Wellhead Protection Area |
| 2000, May |
Groundwater Quality in Cottage Grove, Minnesota - Fact Sheet |
| 2000, May |
Quality of Groundwater Under Three Communities Served by Individual Sewage Treatment Systems |
| 2000, February |
Vegetative Buffers for Protecting and Improving Groundwater Quality |
| 2000 |
Occurrence of persistent bioaccumulative toxic substance (PBTs) in ground water |
| 1999, June |
Estimating Groundwater Sensitivity to Nitrate Contamination — Fact Sheet |
| 1999, May |
Iron in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1999, May |
Sulfate in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1999, May |
Chloride and Fluoride in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1999, May |
Barium, Beryllium, Calcium, Magnesium and Strontium in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1999, May |
Sodium and Potassium in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1999, May |
Cadmium, Lead and Mercury in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1999, May |
Copper, Chromium, Nickel and Zinc in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1999, May |
Phosphorus in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1999, May |
Selenium, Molybdenum, Vanadium and Antimony in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1999, June |
Effects of Feedlots on Groundwater Quality — Fact Sheet |
| 1999, January |
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1998, August |
Nitrates in Minnesota's Groundwater |
| 1998, May |
Baseline Water Quality of Minnesota's Principal Aquifers — Fact Sheet |
The following publications are data and project summaries:
Resources
Minnesota’s groundwater: Is our use sustainable? A Freshwater Society special report, April 2013
