Geologists have been testing drones in northeastern Wisconsin as a way to pinpoint shallow soils in areas sensitive to groundwater contamination. The method of measuring soil depths may be beneficial for state regulators, county conservationists and farmers who are working to implement new restrictions on manure spreading in the region.
Studies in northeastern Wisconsin have shown private wells are susceptible to groundwater contamination from nitrates and other bacteria due to thin soil in areas with fractured bedrock.
The findings prompted the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to impose restrictions on manure spreading across 15 counties two years ago. Those standards limit how much manure farms can spread based on the depth of a field's topsoil. Producers are barred from spreading manure on fields with less than two feet of topsoil.