The report relates the movement of nitrate in Kentucky soils to movement of soil water, and to soil chemical properties, in order to predict where contamination of ground water will occur. Soils from several areas were placed in columns and leached with Ca(NO3)2. Subsoils high in iron oxide were found to retard the leaching of nitrate very significantly. In other soils, the nitrate moved through as fast as or slightly faster than the water. Stream samples taken in 1971 and 1972 during the months of January through May showed a poor relation between nitrate in the water and land use. The tile drain effluent and total water reaching a drainage ditch were determined.