Nitrate & Groundwater Contamination in Nebraska
Why Nebraska Is Different
About 88% of Nebraskans rely on groundwater drawn from the High Plains/Ogallala Aquifer system, and nearly all rural residents depend on groundwater or private wells. That heavy reliance on groundwater, combined with the state's intensive irrigated agriculture, sandy soils, and shallow depth to groundwater in many areas, makes Nebraska one of the highest-risk states in the country for groundwater nitrate contamination.
Statewide well testing has found that roughly 15% of sampled wells exceed the federal nitrate Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 mg/L (as nitrogen), and about 40% exceed the lower 3 ppm threshold considered a risk marker for infants and pregnant women.
Naturally Occurring Contaminants
Beyond nitrate (an agricultural, human-caused contaminant), parts of Nebraska's groundwater a