The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that a new University of Iowa study shows the nitrate flowing from Iowa farm fields is a substantial part of the total load in the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

The UI study by Chris Jones, Jacob Nielsen, Keith Schilling and Larry Weber used data collected from 1999 to 2016 from 23 Iowa watersheds monitored by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment program.

The UI study is thought to be the first to quantify Iowa’s long-term contribution of nitrate to the Missouri River basin.

To read the complete Gazette story, go to http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/study-iowas-share-of-nitrate-to-mississippi-missouri-rivers-disproportionate-to-water-flow-20180529