County-level pesticide application estimates — flags areas with elevated agricultural chemical history.
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108K
USGS NAWQA EPest
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USGS
USGS NAWQA EPest
About This Database
- Formal Name
- Pesticide Records
- Program
- USGS NAWQA EPest
- Maintaining Agency
- USGS
- Sites Tracked
- 107,742
What This Means for Growers
Pesticide data represents county-level ambient indicators of agricultural chemical application history. Unlike point sources, this data reflects the cumulative agricultural chemical footprint of an area. Historic organochlorine pesticides (DDT, chlordane, dieldrin) can persist in soil for decades after application ceased.
Former orchard land is a particular concern — lead arsenate was widely used as an insecticide before the 1940s and persists essentially permanently in soil. USGS NAWQA EPest data tracks modern pesticide application estimates, which serve as an ambient indicator of agricultural chemical intensity in the county. This is a broad screening metric, not a site-specific measurement.
Crop Risk Assessment
Leafy greens
Surface contamination from historic pesticide residues affects leafy crops grown in native agricultural soil.
Root crops
Root crops in former agricultural soil may encounter persistent organochlorine residues and lead arsenate.
Fruiting crops
Lower direct soil contact, but historic pesticide drift can accumulate in topsoil layers.
Tree fruits
New plantings on former orchard land should test soil for lead arsenate, but established trees pose minimal risk.
Know Before You Grow — Mitigation Steps
- 1.If gardening on former agricultural or orchard land, test soil for lead arsenate and organochlorine pesticides.
- 2.County-level data is a screening indicator — site-specific soil testing is needed to confirm actual contamination.
- 3.Raised beds with clean imported soil eliminate the soil-contact pathway for historic pesticide residues.
- 4.Cover crops and organic matter additions can help bind and sequester residual pesticide compounds in soil.
- 5.Modern pesticide applications (post-2000) generally use compounds that break down faster than legacy chemicals.
Check Your Address for Pesticide
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