Nitrate in Nebraska

Nitrate

What is Nitrate and where does it come from?

Katie Pekarek, Water Quality Extension Educator, University of Nebraska & Crystal Powers, Research and Extension Communications Specialist, Nebraska Water Center

Nitrogen is a valuable fertilizer source that keeps Nebraska growing abundant landscapes and crops. Nitrogen that does not get used by the crop ends up in our streams, lakes and groundwater. Nitrate is the most common form of nitrogen found in water.

Impacts (Health, Economic, and Recreation)

Nitrate in Nebraska waters has economic, recreation, and health impacts for all of our citizens.

  • Farmers recognize the economic and opportunity loss of nitrogen that is not utilized for growing crops.
  • Millions of tax dollars are managed by Natural Resources Districts, Cities, and conservation agencies to prevent and treat nitrate contamination of water annually.
  • Nearly 1 in 5 Public Water Supplies and private wells in Nebraska consitantly tests high for nitrate-nitrogen.  This number is growing. (NDEE Groundwater Report, Risk and Cost Assessment of Nitrate Contamination in domestic wells).
  • Nitrate is a significant contributor to the presence of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Public beaches in Nebraska are monitored for HABs and closed if the level gets to high.  
  • Long term exposure of high nitrate levels can harm fish and their habitats as the result of excessive aquatic plant growth, modified pH, and lowered dissolved oxygen levels.
  • Research has long shown that nitrate exposure is a hazard for infants.  Emerging research has demonstrated strong links with high nitrate concentrations in drinking water and lifetime risk of negative birth outcomes, thyroid disease, and certain cancers (Reference). The drinking water standard for nitrate in water is 10 mg/L.

Know Your Well program empowers students to understand local water quality

Access to quality water is critical. Testing can indicate whether water is safe for people to consume. Know Your Well is a program used to test well water across Nebraska at no cost to the community, while teaching local high school students valuable skills.

In the past seven years, Know Your Well has been implemented in more than 28 school districts throughout the state. The program has received funding to grow to 50 or more schools over the next few years and expand its curriculm.

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Don’t Lose Out on Free Nitrogen from Irrigation Water

 Don’t Lose Out on Free Nitrogen from Irrigation Water
Extension recommendations for calculating the amount of nitrate-nitrogen in irrigation water and optimal timing of applications to reduce the cost of nitrogen inputs in irrigated corn.

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Alfalfa in Rotation with Annual Crops Reduces Nitrate Leaching Potential and Increases Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration

As it aggressively scavenges nitrogen in the soil, alfalfa can greatly reduce nitrate contamination of groundwater with no negative implications for future crops if planted in rotations.
This UNL research study provides insights on the rotation of annual crops with alfalfa as a highly effective means of reducing nitrate-nitrogen contamination in groundwater.

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Understanding Soil Residual Nitrogen and its Dollar Value for Next Crop

For producers planting corn-on-corn this growing season, Nebraska Extension encourages taking soil samples to determine accurate nitrate levels and adjusting N application rates accordingly, as there may be considerable amounts of residual nitrogen left from the previous corn crop.
For producers planning corn-on-corn this growing season, there may be a substantial opportunity to reduce nitrogen fertilizer applications, as drought and reduced yields likely left higher-than-normal residual N in many fields.

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Reverse Osmosis In-Service: Treating high nitrate concentrations in private wells

RO Funding Flyer

In 2023, the Nebraska Legislature passed LB1014.  This bill took 4 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act and allocated it to treating nitrate issues in Nebraska.  1.2 million dollars of that has been dedicated to a Reverse Osmosis Rebate Program that is directed at private well owners. The general idea of the program is that any individual private drinking water well owner can test their water AND if the nitrate concentration comes back above 10 ppm, they might be eligible for UP TO $4,000 support to get a reverse osmosis system to treat their nitrate.

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