United States Department of Agriculture 355-CPS-1

NRCS, NHCP

October 2020

NRCS reviews and periodically updates conservation practice standards. To obtain the current 

version of this standard, contact your Natural Resources Conservation Service State office or 

visit the Field Office Technical Guide online by going to the NRCS website at 

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ and type FOTG in the search field. 

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Natural Resources Conservation Service 

CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD 

GROUNDWATER TESTING 

CODE 355 

(no)

DEFINITION 

Testing the physical, biological, and chemical quality of groundwater from a water well or spring. 

PURPOSE 

This practice is used to accomplish the following purpose: 

• To determine the suitability of a groundwater supply source for livestock watering, irrigation, wildlife,

or other agricultural uses. 

CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES 

This practice applies to agricultural groundwater supply sources potentially not suitable for its intended

use, or is susceptible to contamination. 

This practice does not apply to domestic or public groundwater supply sources, monitoring wells, injection

wells, temporary test wells, or piezometers. 

CRITERIA 

General Criteria Applicable to all Purposes 

Select the parameters for testing consistent with the intended use or concerns identified with the well or

spring. 

Use sampling and testing procedures that comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Manual of

Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes.” 

CONSIDERATIONS 

Consider using a computerized total farm record-keeping system for ease of data input, analysis, and

retrieval of testing results. 

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS 

Prepare plans and specifications for groundwater testing that describes the requirements for applying the

practice to achieve the intended purpose. Include the following: 

• Document the location, depth, date, and time of sample collection, and depth of supply. 

• Document aquifer characteristics, geology, and history of site relative to sources of potential

contamination, such as, surface water, septic systems, chemical storage facilities, landfills, roads,

animal waste storage or treatment facilities, or naturally occurring sources of contamination. 

• Document the construction method used to install the well or spring development. 
• Include a description of the collection process, storing, transporting, and testing samples, and the

reporting of test results. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 

Maintain the water test records for the design life of the well or spring. Include the following items as part

of the water test records: 

• Sample site location by ground coordinates, such as by Global Positioning System (GPS), or other

suitable method 

• Name and title of person who collected samples 

• Date and time of sample collection 

• Planned use of the water 

• Depth interval where sample was taken 

• Date and time of water sampling 

• Type of sampler and volume of sample 

• Standard collection procedure used 

• Date of water quality analyses 

• Name and address of laboratory that performed analyses 

• Parameters tested 

• Schedule of additional testing, if required by the applicable water quality standard 

• Records to evaluate trends and the effects of any remedial actions to produce water of quality

suitable for the intended purpose 

• Observations of well or spring condition at time of sampling 

• Installation date of well or spring development 

• Other records as required by regulations 

REFERENCES 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1983. Manual of Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and

Wastes, EPA/600/4 79/020, (552 p.). Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C. 

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NRCS, NHCP

355

October 2020