However, nitrate is very soluble in water. If the amount of nitrate in the water or soil exceeds the plant's demand, the remaining nitrate can be transported with water to surface or ground resources. At high levels, nitrate can have serious health effects on infants and livestock. Includes herbicides, insecticides, miticides, nematicides, rodenticides, fungicides, plant growth regulators, and desiccants. Misuse of pesticides may cause damage to human health and the environment.
Water is under pressure in confined aquifers, and is recharged slowly.
In Iowa, these aquifers begin several hundred feet below the surface. They are located in the upper portion of the earth's crust, starting at ground level. These aquifers are very common in Iowa, and generally yield large amounts of water. However, due to their close proximity to the surface, they are more at-risk to pollution.