Water quality effects herbicides effectiveness Water quality effects herbicides effectiveness by Bill Andresen, Sask Water Water cleanliness and its mineral content can affect the performance of some herbicides. Since, most herbicides used on the prairies are mixed with water before application this recent finding is important to producers.
Cleanliness is freedom from suspended silt and organic matter.
Mineral content is caused by mineral salts being dissolved by water as it passes over rocks, soil and gravel. Calcium, magnesium bicarbonate and iron are the minerals of concern. Water hardness is determined by the amount of calcium and magnesium present and is expressed as the amount present as calcium carbonate equivalent. The latter is an old unit but is still used in the water industry because of the availability of field kits. As well, grains per U.S. gallon is easily measured by field kits.