Simple
Suggestions to Help
You
Protect Our Groundwater
Where does pollution
come from? It could come from any of us. The nation's biggest
water-quality challenge today is nonpoint-source (NPS) pollution,
according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. NPS pollution
cannot be traced back to a single, identifiable source. It includes
ag chemicals that leach from or run off fields; motor oil from
urban streets; and sediment from erosion of unprotected land.
NPS pollutants move into waterways via precipitation or irrigation.
What can we do?
The key to preventing NPS pollution lies with each of us -- farmers,
city dwellers, automobile owners, construction contractors, and
others. We can choose to use Best Management Practices
(BMPs) when we undertake activities that might cause NPS pollution,
such as applying ag chemicals. BMPs are methods that have been
shown to keep potential pollutants from reaching waterways. As
a bonus, they sometimes save time and money.
Best
Management Practices
for
the Farm:
[ Fertilizer
Rate and Expected Yield ]
[ Nitrogen
Credits for Soil and Water ]
[ Nitrogen
Credits for Manure and Legume Crops ]
Best
Management Practices
for
Lawn and Garden:
[ Watering
]
[ Fertilizing
]
[ Using Pesticides
] |
