100 years of Nebraska nitrogen
Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient but increasingly found in our water. Here is a brief history:
Groundwater | Fertilizer | |
| Background levels of groundwater nitrate are <1mg/L nitrate-N | Historically, nitrogen fertilizer only came from plant or animal sources. | |
| 1909 | Haber Bosch process developed for turning atmospheric nitrogen into inorganic ammonia. | |
| 1921 - UNL Conservation and Survey established to study Nebraska water. | 1920s | Nebr. corn: 26 bushels/acre UNL Agricultural Experiment Station begins inorganic N research. |
1940 - Nitrate identified by State of Nebr. Dept. of Health as a problem in poorly built wells. 1947 - Methemoglobinemia (blue baby) in infants investigated in Nebr. Medical Journal. First nitrate compound carcinogen research. | 1940s | Nebr. Corn: 26 bu/ac 1944 - UNL Extension’s first inorganic N fertilizer soil fertility recommendations. 1946 - UNL Soil Testing Lab opened. 1947 - UNL recommends minimizing leaching loss with in-season N and efficient irrigation. 1949 - Adding N through irrigation water begins. |
| 1951 - Research review suggests 10-20 mg/L nitrate-N limit in water used for infant formula. | 1950s | Nebr. irrigated corn: 60 bu/ac; 0.5 mill acres 1952 - Center pivot manufacturing begins. |
1962 - U.S. Public Health Service adopts 10 mg/L nitrate-N drinking water standard. 1965 - Nebraska Water Quality Survey by UNL CSD finds pockets above 10 mg/L, attributed to coarse soils, irrigation, inorganic N fertilizer, shallow groundwater, and livestock manure. | 1960s | Nebr. irrigated corn: 80 bu/ac; 1.5 mill acres 1964 - UNL cautions “mounting evidence that many farmers are using more fertilizer nitrogen than necessary for best economic return.” Water meters and soil moisture sensors recommended for irrigation scheduling. |
1971 -NE Dept of Environmental Control (now DWEE). 1972 - Nebr. Natural Resource Districts established and widespread nitrate testing begins. 1974 - Safe Drinking Water Act adopts 10 mg/L nitrate-N maximum contaminant level. | 1970s | Nebr. irrigated corn: 110 bu/ac; 1.6 lb N/bu; 2.5 mill acres; about 10% irrigated by pivot 1979 - Inorganic N fertilizer identified as main nitrate source in Central Platte. First NRD irrigation water allocations. |
1981 - UNL Extension Nitrate Task Force. 1984 - First adverse birth outcomes research. 1985 - Nebraska Natural Resources Commission study identifies growing regions impacted. Groundwater Foundation established. 1988 - Children’s Groundwater Festivals begin. | 1980s | Nebr. irrigated corn: 125 bu/ac; 1.3 lb N/bu; 5 mill acres; about a third irrigated with center pivots. 1985 - Groundwater Management & Protection Act. 1987 - Central Platte NRD first quality policies. 1989 - Bazile Triangle established in Northeast NE. |
1991 - Nitrate travel timing and amount estimated. 1993 - Public Water Supplies required to provide drinking water below 10mg/L nitrate-N. Creighton builds first reverse osmosis filtration. 1996 - CDC Report on miscarriages from nitrate. | 1990s | Nebr. irrigated corn: 145 bu/ac; 1.2 lb N/bu; 0.15 inches water/bu; 5 mill acres 1992 - On-Farm Research program started. 1994 - UNL Corn Nitrogen calculator first created. 1993 - crop nitrogen sensors recommended. 1999 - nitrate leaving corn rootzone 24-42 mg/L. |
| 2004 - International workgroup review of nitrate and health (updated 2018). | 2000s | Nebr. irrigated corn: 165 bu/ac; 71% pivot; 0.9 lb N/bu; 0.14" water/bu; 4.8 mill acres 2005 - Renewable Fuel Standard for ethanol. |
2010 - Int. Agency for Research on Cancer determines nitrate is probably carcinogenic. 2013 - More than 1 out of 3 Nebr. irrigated acres have groundwater exceeding 10 mg/L. | 2010s | Nebr. irrigated corn: 190 bu/ac; 86% pivot; 0.8 lb N/bu; 0.13" water/bu; 5.3 mill acres 2015 - Project SENSE, sensor-based N. 2017 - UNL TAPS competition for N & irrigation. |
2023 - Nitrate shown to release uranium. EPA reopens evaluation of chronic health effects. 2025 - 15% of Nebr drinking water wells unsafe for N | 2020s | Nebr. irrigated corn: 205 bu/ac; 91% pivot; 0.8 lb N/bu 2023 - nitrate leaving corn rootzone 17-22 mg/L. 2024 - UNL in-season corn N recommendation |
Sources:
Background nitrate. Dubrovsky, N.M. and P.A. Hamilton. 2010. Nutrients in the Nation’s Streams and Groundwater: National Findings and Implications . U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2010-3078.
1921. UNL Conservation and Survey Division History https://snr.unl.edu/csd/about/history
1933. Stewart, P.H.; Gross, D.L.; and Kiesselbach, T.A., "EC33-136 Corn in Nebraska" (1933). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 1884. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/1884
1940. High Nitrate Wells in Nebraska. Better Health, Official Bull. State of Nebraska Dept. of Health. 9, 3:1
1944. Fitts, J. W. and Rhoades, H. F., "EC150 Commercial Fertilizers : Suggestions for Use in Nebraska 1944" Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 2106. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/2106
1946. UNL Soil Testing Lab established. https://agronomy.unl.edu/documents/newsletter-10part2.pdf
1947. Olson, R. A., "EC175 Soil Fertility Practices" Historical Materials from University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension. 2145. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/2145
1947. Stafford, G. E. Methemoglobinemia in Infants from Water Containing High Concentrations of Nitrates. Nebraska M. J. 32:392-394
1949. Olson, R. A. and Fitts, J. W., "EC175 Revised 1949 Soil Fertility Practices." Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 2144. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/2144
1951. WALTON, G. Survey of Literature Relating to Infant Methemoglobinemia Due to Nitrate-Contaminated 'Water https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1525621/pdf/amjphnation00426-0083.pdf
1952-1980. Nebraska center pivot systems. Wessel’s Living History Farm. https://livinghistoryfarm.org/farming-in-the-1950s/water/valmonts-center-pivot-patent-runs-out
1954. BARNES JM, MAGEE PN. Some toxic properties of dimethylnitrosamine. Br J Ind Med. Jul;11(3):167-74. doi: 10.1136/oem.11.3.167. PMID: 13182155; PMCID: PMC1037552.
1962. Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1556&context=publichealthresources
1964. Olson, Robert A.; Dreier, A. F.; Thompson, C.; Frank, K.; and Grabouski, Phillip H., "Using Fertilizer Nitrogen Effectively on Grain Crops" Agronomy & Horticulture -- Faculty Publications. 553. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronomyfacpub/553
1965. EC65-165 The Nebraska Water Quality Survey. Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 3720. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/3720
1970-2010. Soybean and Corn Yield and Acreage Trends. Specht, J., P. Grassini, T. Hoegemeyer, R. Elmore, J. Rees, N. Mueller, K. Glewen, (2018) https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2018/soybean-and-corn-yield-and-acreage-trends
1970-2010. Ferguson. Farmers Using Nitrogen More Efficiently in Nebraska Corn Production - UNL CropWatch. (2011) https://cropwatch.unl.edu/farmers-using-nitrogen-more-efficiently-nebraska-corn-production-unl-cropwatch-june-23- 20111971. Nebraska Department of Environmental quality Established. http://www.deq.state.ne.us/NDEQProg.nsf/WaterHome.xsp
1972. Nebraska Natural Resources Districts History. https://www.nrdnet.org/nrds/about-nrds
1974. Safe Drinking Water Act. U.S. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-safe-drinking-water-act
1979. Gormly, J. R., and R. F. Spalding. Sources and concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen in ground water of the Central Platte region, Nebraska. Groundwater, 17 :291-30 1.
1979. URNRD establishes irrigation allocations. https://www.nrdnet.org/sites/default/files/downloads/republican_river_basin_sustainabilitysteps.pdf
1981. Hergert, Gary W. and Rehm, George W., EC81-2400 Living with Nitrate. Historical Materials from University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension. 4361. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/4361
1984. Dorsch MM, Scragg RKR, McMichael AJ, Baghurst PA, DyerKF. Congenital malformations and maternal drinking water supply in rural South Australia: a case-control study. Am J Epidemiol 119:473–48
1985. Adelman, Donald D.; Schroeder, Wanda J.; Smaus, Ronald J.; and Wallin, Gerald P., "Overview of Nitrate in Nebraska's Ground Water." Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies. 220. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tnas/220
1985. Groundwater Management Act. https://water.unl.edu/article/agricultural-irrigation/regulations-policies
1987 Central Platte NRD policies https://www.cpnrd.org/about/management-plans/
1988. Children’s Groundwater Festival. Making a Bigger Splash. https://groundwater.org/organize-an-event/
1989. Bazile Groundwater Management Area https://bgma.nebraska.gov/ Gosselin, David C., "Bazile Triangle Groundwater Quality Study" (1991). Conservation and Survey Division. 146. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/conservationsurvey/146
1990-2017. Mekonnen, Mesfin; Neale, Christopher Michael Usher; Ray, Chittaranjan; Erickson, Galen E.; Liska, Adam; Yang, Haishun; Romanelli, Thiago L.; and Hoekstra, Arjen Y., "2019 Nebraska Water Productivity Report" (2019). Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications. 76. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/wffdocs/76
1991. Frank, K.D.; Watts, Darrell; Christiansen, Andrew; and Penas, Edwin, EC91-735 The Impact of Nitrogen and Irrigation Management and Vadose Zone Conditions on Ground Water Contamination by Nitrate-Nitrogen. Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 1625. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/1625
1992. Rzewnicki, Phil, EC92-125 On-farm Trials for Farmers Using the Randomized Complete Block Design. Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 1558. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/1558
1993. U.S. EPA nitrate regulations. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations
1993. Peterson, Todd A.; Blackmer, Tracy M.; Francis, Dennis D.; and Schepers, James S., G93-1171 Using a Chlorophyll Meter to Improve N Management. Historical Materials from University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension. 1353. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/1353
1993. City of Creighton reverse osmosis treatment. https://bgma.nebraska.gov/about/communities
1994. Hergert, Gary W.; Shapiro, Charles A.; and Ferguson, Richard B., G74-174 Fertilizer Suggestions For Corn (Revised July 1995). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 1671. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/1671
1996. Spontaneous Abortions Possibly Related to Ingestion of Nitrate-Contaminated Well Water -- LaGrange County, Indiana, 1991-1994. MMWR July 05, 1996 / 45(26);569-572 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00042839.htm
1999. Klocke, N. L.; Watts, Darrell G.; Schneekloth, J. P.; Davison, Don R.; Todd, R. W.; and Parkhurst, Anne M., Nitrate Leaching in Irrigated Corn and Soybean in a Semi-Arid Climate. Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications. 48. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/biosysengfacpub/48
2000-2020 Irrigation method statistics. USDA NASS. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Farm_and_Ranch_Irrigation/index.php
2002 Dobermann, Achim R.; Arkebauer, Timothy J.; Cassman, Kenneth G.; Lindquist, J; Specht, James E.; Walters, Daniel T.; and Yang, Haishun, "Understanding and Managing Corn Yield Potential." Agronomy & Horticulture -- Faculty Publications. 340. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronomyfacpub/340
2004. Workgroup Report: Drinking-Water Nitrate and Health—Recent Findings and Research Needs M.H. Ward, T.M. deKok, P. Levallois, J. Brender, G. Gulis, B.T. Nolan, J. VanDerslice. Environmental Health Perspectives. VOL 113 |NUMBER 11. 2005. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1310926/ Updated in 2018: Ward MH, Jones RR, Brender JD, de Kok TM, Weyer PJ, Nolan BT, Villanueva CM, van Breda SG. Drinking Water Nitrate and Human Health: An Updated Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Jul 23;15(7):1557. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071557. PMID: 30041450; PMCID: PMC6068531. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6068531/
2005. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “Renewable Fuel Standard Program.” https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuel-standard-program
2010. Ingested Nitrate and Nitrite, and Cyanobacterial Peptide Toxins. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans Volume 94. https://publications.iarc.fr/Book-And-Report-Series/Iarc-Monographs-On-The-Identification-Of-Carcinogenic-Hazards-To-Humans/Ingested-Nitrate-And-Nitrite-And-Cyanobacterial-Peptide-Toxins-2010
2013. Juntakut, Pongpun; Snow, Daniel D.; Haacker, Erin M.K.; and Ray, Chittaranjan, "The long term effect of agricultural, vadose zone and climatic factors on nitrate contamination in Nebraska’s groundwater system" 2018. Faculty Publications from The Water Center. 41. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/watercenterpubs/41
2015 Groundwater Quality and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Nebraska's Central Platte River Valley Richard B. Ferguson https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2014.02.0085 Journal of Environmental Quality Volume44, Issue2, Pages 449-459
2015 UNL Project SENSE. https://on-farm-research.unl.edu/project-sense
2016. Bazile Groundwater Management Area Plan. https://bgma.nebraska.gov/about/project-background
2017. UNL TAPS. https://taps.unl.edu/
2018. Historical nitrogen fertilizer use in agricultural ecosystems of the contiguous United States during 1850–2015: application rate, timing, and fertilizer types Peiyu Ca`o, Chaoqun Lu, and Zhen Yu Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 10, 969–984, 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-10-969-2018
2020. Agronomic Management for Reduced Nitrate Leaching. Wortmann, C., L. Puntel, J. Iqbal, B. Maharjan, https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2020/agronomic-management-reduced-nitrate-leaching
2023. Nitrate-Stimulated Release of Naturally Occurring Sedimentary Uranium Jeffrey P. Westrop, P. Yadav, PJ Nolan, K.M. Campbell, R. Singh, S.E. Bone, A.H. Chan, A.J. Kohtz, D. Pan, O. Healy, J.R. Bargar, D.D. Snow, and K.A. Weber. Environmental Science & Technology 57 (10), 4354-4366 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07683
2023. EPA IRIS Assessment https://iris.epa.gov/document/&deid=337470#background
2024. Dan Snow. Bazile Groundwater Management Area (BGMA) Vadose Zone Final Report
2024. Nitrogen Fertilizer Trends in Nebraska from 1955-2023. R. Ferguson, B. Maharjan, J. Iqbal https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2024/nitrogen-fertilizer-trends-nebraska-1955-2023
2024. In-Season N Management for Irrigated Corn. G2365. https://extensionpubs.unl.edu/publication/g2365/2024/pdf/view/g2365-2024.pdf
2025. NDWEE. Nitrate in Drinking Water Study https://dwee.nebraska.gov/groundwater-drinking-water/drinking-water/nitrate-drinking-water-study
This article was reviewed by Dan Snow and Richard Ferguson