The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will collect water samples from about 90 wells in Kandiyohi County this summer for use in the Groundwater Atlas of Kandiyohi County.

The atlas can be used to help identify viable water sources, evaluate supply, identify recharge sources and flow, manage sustainability, guide decisions for well and septic system construction, assist in well-head protection for public water supply, and assess pollution sensitivity and likely contamination migration.

Sampling involves collecting a water sample from an outside location for laboratory analysis. Wells are selected based on geology, location, well depth and well construction. Select owners will be contacted by mail or phone for permission to sample their wells. Participation is voluntary and owners will receive a report of the laboratory results.

The final products will be available as printed maps, reports, and geographic information system (GIS) files available on the web.