Abstract: Many experiments have shown nitrate to have negative effects on a variety of aquatic organisms including fishes, amphibians, and insects. However, most of these experiments examined the effects of nitrate pollution in unnaturally high levels. In this experiment I examined the effects of levels of nitrate pollution deemed acceptable by the EPA, on a population of odonate nymphs from a mountain pond in southwestern Virginia. I measured mortality, molts, and growth in order to observe effects nitrate was having on odonate nymphs. While I found no significant effect of elevated nitrate levels I did find some interesting trends. One such trend suggested that nitrate has beneficial effects on recently hatched odonate larvae at slightly elevated levels, but begins to have negative effects at levels of 10 parts per million. With nymphs from later stages of development growth was greatest in the control, and actually negative at high nitrate levels. Thus, while in small amounts elevated nitrate levels may actually benefit some odonate larvae, at higher levels, adverse effects may begin to accumulate.