Our testing showed high levels of nitrates in Buffalo Creek. We will now investigate the causes of this. Many small communities in this rural area did not have sewage treatment plants until the last five or six years. There are still homes that emit waste into the local rivers and streams, though the EPA is trying to remedy this. We think other possible sources of nitrate contamination might be fertilizers from farms located along the stream. One other factor we will try to eliminate as the cause of the high nitrate level is the saw mill that is 50 feet upstream from our test site. We hope to collaborate with the local county extension office to identify sources of nitrates and to inform the local communities about what they can do to improve the water quality of Buffalo Creek.
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