The groundwater at the Port of Morrow has been contaminated. And the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued a fine of $2.1 million. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, the Port’s original penalty of $1.3 million was increased by $800,000. The area, which is Morrow and Umatilla counties’ primary drinking water source, is plagued with groundwater pollution. And the fine was primarily due to Port of Morrow pollution. It’s the Port’s over-application of nitrogen-rich wastewater on agricultural fields in the Lower Umatilla Basin.
Increasing Number of Violations
Laura Gleim, a spokesperson for the DEQ, said that they knew about violations to oil and gas production sites. But they had to get documentation in order before taking any action. The winter months of November 2020 through February 2022 saw the Port violating its water quality permit an additional 626 times, a total of 2,155 violations.
The Port added a total of 261 tons of nitrate that exceeded the threshold to an estimated 98 other acres, resulting in a considerable fine. Meanwhile, the Port of San Diego recognizes groundwater contamination has been a problem for decades, but they say it also needs to be solved as a community problem.
The Port opposed a DEQ decision to ban wastewater reuse for winter months because “they are the reason for less than 5% of nitrates.”
According to Lisa Mittelsdorf, the Port’s executive director, the Port understands that groundwater contamination has been an issue for decades. And it encourages the community to be proactive about its own water supply.
In a statement via an email, she added that the industrial wastewater reuse program of the Port is responsible for less than 5% of the area’s nitrates. She assured that they would continue to work with the DEQ to work on a solution to address the issue of industrial wastewater during the winter months. Hopefully, they will do so without shutting down any industries generating that wastewater.
State of Emergency
Last week, Morrow County has declared a local state of emergency after private well water testing showed high levels of nitrate contamination. Drinking high levels of nitrate can cause health risks, which include respiratory infections, thyroid dysfunction, and stomach or bladder cancer.
Approximately 70% of nitrates from fertilizer used on irrigated farmland leached into the groundwater, and concentrated animal feeding operations are to blame for about 12%. Owners are responsible for the private wells, but Jim Doherty and Oregon Rural Action have been working to ensure safety in Morrow County.
These organizations are working together to ensure that wells remain healthy by monitoring for contamination. While there is currently no regulation that applies only to private wells, these organizations are helping to ensure their safety.
The primary Port of Morrow pollution sources are:
- Irrigated agriculture
- Food processing wastewater
- Animal feeding operations and feedlots
- Sewage from septic tanks
- The US Army Umatilla Chemical Depot’s bomb washout lagoons
In January, the Port of Portland was fined for violating its permit more than a thousand times. The violations added 165 tons of excess nitrogen to the environment and caused an appeal to be filed against the fines. Gleim said that the agency and the Port are undergoing settlement talks.
Potential Improvements
She added that they are working with them on a system that would improve the permit modification. They will review the processes so the Port can sufficiently manage its wastewater. This will also allow them to prevent future violations and further contamination.
Using the Port’s water quality permit, it collects wastewater from processors and storage facilities. This can help improve the viability of local farms by also adding useful plant nutrients. If not controlled, too much nitrogen can seep into the groundwater.
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