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ΒΆ Introduction
Survey of analysis results from Nebraska surface and groundwater samples submitted to ServiTech Laboratories during 2013 to 2022, inclusive, for analysis of Livestock Suitability. The results are grouped by National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) reporting districts.
ΒΆ Figure 1. Nebraska USDA-NASS Districts
Interpretation of survey results:
- Median = 50th percentile
- Typical range = 25th and 75th percentiles
- Low - High = 5th and 95th percentiles
ΒΆ Table 1. Total dissolved solids, TDSc mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 555 | 275 β 775 | 115 β 1395 |
| North/Northeast | 440 | 250 β 500 | 95 β 1140 |
| Central | 390 | 125 β 680 | 70 β 1755 |
| East | 500 | 325 β 805 | 90 β 1595 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 440 | 285 β 700 | 120 β 895 |
| Southeast | 480 | 300 β 745 | 155 β 7265 |
| Statewide | 485 | 260 β 775 | 95 β 1730 |
("Acceptable" = 2000 - 4000 TDS mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 2. Sulfate, SO4 mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 81 | 17 β 215 | 3 β 819 |
| North/Northeast | 45 | 10 β 130 | 2 β 578 |
| Central | 19 | 3 β 78 | 1 β 657 |
| East | 51 | 14 β 253 | 3 β 1100 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 38 | 14 β 75 | 3 β 180 |
| Southeast | 37 | 19 β 75 | 5 β 433 |
| Statewide | 44 | 13 β 140 | 3 β 948 |
("Acceptable" = 200 - 500 SO4 mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 3. Nitrate-nitrogen, NO3-N mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 1.1 | 0.2 β 4.2 | 0.2 β 12.7 |
| North/Northeast | 2.7 | 0.2 β 10.8 | 0.2 β 33.8 |
| Central | 0.5 | 0.2 β 3.4 | 0.1 β 11.5 |
| East | 0.7 | 0.2 β 3.8 | 0.2 β 29.4 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 0.7 | 0.2 β 9.1 | 0.2 β 46.0 |
| Southeast | 2.5 | 0.2 β 8.8 | 0.2 β 760 |
| Statewide | 0.8 | 0.2 β 5.0 | 0.2 β 28.0 |
("Acceptable" = 30 - 70 NO3-N mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 4. Calcium, Ca mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 58 | 28 β 99 | 2 β 231 |
| North/Northeast | 56 | 19 β 110 | 1 β 210 |
| Central | 35 | 15 β 96 | 6 β 150 |
| East | 97 | 55 β 162 | 13 β 353 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 93 | 43 β 142 | 25 β 218 |
| Southeast | 76 | 40 β 112 | 27 β 223 |
| Statewide | 76 | 33 β 120 | 7 β 243 |
("Acceptable" = 80 - 120 Ca mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 5. Magnesium, Mg mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 15 | 4 β 27 | 1 β 97 |
| North/Northeast | 11 | 3 β 19 | 1 β 74 |
| Central | 10 | 4 β 19 | 2 β 64 |
| East | 22 | 10 β 39 | 3 β 84 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 14 | 11 β 19 | 6 β 35 |
| Southeast | 14 | 8 β 22 | 6 β 54 |
| Statewide | 15 | 7 β 28 | 2 β 74 |
("Acceptable" = 50 - 120 Mg mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 6. Potassium, K mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 8 | 5 β 13 | 1 β 22 |
| North/Northeast | 6 | 4 β 9 | 1 β 17 |
| Central | 6 | 4 β 10 | 3 β 23 |
| East | 8 | 6 β 13 | 3 β 37 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 9 | 4 β 16 | 3 β 73 |
| Southeast | 8 | 5 β 21 | 3 β 139 |
| Statewide | 7 | 5 β 13 | 2 β 47 |
("Acceptable" = 80 - 120 K mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 7. Sodium, Na mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 69 | 19 β 193 | 4 β 503 |
| North/Northeast | 22 | 8 β 82 | 4 β 198 |
| Central | 22 | 6 β 87 | 4 β 640 |
| East | 29 | 12 β 83 | 6 β 198 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 19 | 11 β 30 | 1 β 119 |
| Southeast | 37 | 14 β 92 | 4 β 1757 |
| Statewide | 30 | 12 β 93 | 4 β 431 |
("Acceptable" = Na plus Mg less than 50% of TDS)
ΒΆ Table 8. Chloride, Cl mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 18 | 5 β 44 | 2 β 145 |
| North/Northeast | 11 | 5 β 15 | 1 β 29 |
| Central | 12 | 3 β 35 | 1 β 163 |
| East | 9 | 5 β 40 | 2 β 201 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 43 | 18 β 60 | 3 β 164 |
| Southeast | 43 | 14 β 123 | 9 β 2342 |
| Statewide | 16 | 6 β 48 | 2 β 218 |
("Acceptable" = 125 - 250 Cl mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 9. Electrical conductivity, EC ΞΌmho/cm |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 865 | 435 β 1210 | 180 β 2180 |
| North/Northeast | 685 | 390 β 780 | 150 β 1780 |
| Central | 610 | 195 β 1065 | 105 β 2745 |
| East | 780 | 510 β 1260 | 145 β 2495 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 685 | 450 β 1095 | 190 β 1395 |
| Southeast | 740 | 430 β 1050 | 130 β 8460 |
| Statewide | 750 | 390 β 1160 | 140 β 2450 |
("Acceptable" = 1300 - 2600 ΞΌmho/cm)
ΒΆ Table 10. Iron, Fe mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 0.1 | 0.05 β 0.23 | 0.05 β 1.24 |
| North/Northeast | 0.1 | 0.05 β 0.24 | 0.05 β 1.46 |
| Central | 0.1 | 0.05 β 0.35 | 0.05 β 5.11 |
| East | 0.2 | 0.06 β 0.67 | 0.05 β 8.81 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 0.3 | 0.05 β 1.29 | 0.05 β 5.87 |
| Southeast | 0.3 | 0.05 β 4.95 | 0.05 β 16.9 |
| Statewide | 0.1 | 0.05 β 0.50 | 0.05 β 6.42 |
("Acceptable" = 0.20 - 0.40 Fe mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 11. Manganese, Mn mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 0.008 | 0.005 β 0.052 | 0.005 β 0.270 |
| North/Northeast | 0.008 | 0.005 β 0.151 | 0.005 β 0.859 |
| Central | 0.024 | 0.005 β 0.125 | 0.005 β 1.206 |
| East | 0.077 | 0.005 β 0.329 | 0.005 β 1.578 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 0.028 | 0.005 β 0.426 | 0.005 β 1.484 |
| Southeast | 0.126 | 0.006 β 0.630 | 0.005 β 1.530 |
| Statewide | 0.026 | 0.005 β 0.240 | 0.005 β 1.066 |
("Acceptable" = 0.025 - 0.050 Mn mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 12. Hardness, as CaCO3 grains/gallon |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 14 | 5.3 β 19.3 | 0.6 β 49 |
| North/Northeast | 12 | 3.7 β 20.0 | 0.6 β 49 |
| Central | 8 | 3.3 β 21 | 1.4 β 35 |
| East | 19 | 10.0 β 31 | 2.4 β 73 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 17 | 9.0 β 25 | 5.2 β 37 |
| Southeast | 14 | 7.7 β 24 | 5.5 β 46 |
| Statewide | 16 | 6.8 β 24.0 | 1.7 β 58.6 |
("Moderately hard" = 3.5 - 7.0 CaCO3 grains/gallon)
ΒΆ Table 13. Hardness, as CaCO3 mg/L |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 240 | 90 β 335 | 10 β 850 |
| North/Northeast | 195 | 65 β 340 | 10 β 825 |
| Central | 140 | 55 β 350 | 25 β 595 |
| East | 325 | 180 β 530 | 40 β 1225 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 285 | 155 β 435 | 90 β 635 |
| Southeast | 240 | 130 β 415 | 95 β 775 |
| Statewide | 270 | 120 β 420 | 30 β 995 |
("Moderately hard" = 60 to 120 CaCO3 mg/L)
ΒΆ Table 14. Water pH |
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| Nebraska Districts | Median | Typical range | Low - High |
| Northwest | 8.0 | 7.8 β 8.2 | 7.3 β 8.8 |
| North/Northeast | 7.9 | 7.7 β 8.0 | 7.4 β 8.5 |
| Central | 7.9 | 7.6 β 8.2 | 7.3 β 8.5 |
| East | 7.9 | 7.6 β 8.0 | 7.3 β 8.4 |
| Southwest | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| South | 7.9 | 7.6 β 8.1 | 7.3 β 8.5 |
| Southeast | 7.7 | 7.5 β 7.9 | 7.2 β 8.1 |
| Statewide | 7.9 | 7.6 β 8.1 | 7.3 β 8.5 |
("Neutral" pH = 6.5 - 7.5)
ΒΆ Table 15. Conversion Factors |
| 1 mg/L β 1 ppm |
| 1 mg/L = 1,000 Β΅g/L |
| 1 mmho/cm = 1 dS/m |
| 1 mmho/cm = 1,000 Β΅mho/cm lb/ac-in = mg/L x 0.2267 lb/ac-ft = mg/L x 2.7204 |
| lime equivalent, lb/ac-ft = HCO3 mg/L x 2.2304 |
| 1 acre-inch = 27,154 gallons |
| 1 acre-foot = 325,848 gallons |
ΒΆ Table 16. Sample Count |
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| Northwest | 66 |
| North | 14 |
| Northeast | 10 |
| Central | 73 |
| East | 114 |
| Southwest | ---- |
| South | 28 |
| Southeast | 33 |
| Statewide | 347 |