Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program. In terms of water quality, what happens on the land is just as important as what happens in the water. Nonpoint source pollution, or polluted runoff, is thought to be the greatest. Nonpoint Source Management Program: Highlights: Nonpoint Source Management Program. The Nonpoint Source Management Program (NPSM). The goal of these programs is to reduce nonpoint source pollution from land use activities. The Initiatives in Nonpoint Source Management was developed in partial response to the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments of 1990 (CZARA). CZARA requires states to develop and implement management measures for. Nonpoint source water pollution regulations. Nonpoint source (NPS) water pollution regulations are environmental regulations that restrict or. Federal agencies involved in nonpoint pollution control include Soil. Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, or polluted runoff. Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program; Pacific Islands (American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas) State Programs. Nonpoint source pollution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Non- point source (NPS) pollution includes both water and air pollution from diffuse sources. Non- point source water pollution affects a water body from sources such as polluted runoff from agricultural areas draining into a river, or wind- borne debris blowing out to sea. Non- point source air pollution affects air quality from sources such as smokestacks or car tailpipes. Although these pollutants have originated from a point source, the long- range transport ability and multiple sources of the pollutant make it a non- point source of pollution. Non- point source pollution can be contrasted with point source pollution, where discharges occur to a body of water or into the atmosphere at a single location. Because nonpoint source pollution. NOAA’s Mussel Watch Program monitors. Other control strategies include state coastal nonpoint pollution control. NPS may derive from many different sources with no specific solution may change to rectify the problem, making it difficult to regulate. Non point source water pollution is difficult to control because it comes from the everyday activities of many different people, such as fertilizing a lawn, using a pesticide, or constructing a road or building. This runoff is often classified as a type of NPS pollution. Some people may also consider it a point source because many times it is channeled into municipal storm drain systems and discharged through pipes to nearby surface waters. However, not all urban runoff flows through storm drain systems before entering water bodies. Some may flow directly into water bodies, especially in developing and suburban areas. Also, unlike other types of point sources, such as industrial discharges, sewage treatment plants and other operations, pollution in urban runoff cannot be attributed to one activity or even group of activities. Therefore, because it is not caused by an easily identified and regulated activity, urban runoff pollution sources are also often treated as true non- point sources as municipalities work to abate them. Principal types. Sediment may enter surface waters from eroding stream banks, and from surface runoff due to improper plant cover on urban and rural land. Sources include construction sites (although these are point sources, which can be managed with erosion controls and sediment controls), agricultural fields, stream banks, and highly disturbed areas. The two primary nutrients of concern are phosphorus and nitrogen. It is notoriously over- abundant in human sewage sludge. It is a main ingredient in many fertilizers used for agriculture as well as on residential and commercial properties, and may become a limiting nutrient in freshwater systems and some estuaries. Phosphorus is most often transported to water bodies via soil erosion because many forms of phosphorus tend to be adsorbed on to soil particles.
Excess amounts of phosphorus in aquatic systems (particularly freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and ponds) leads to proliferation of microscopic algae called phytoplankton. The increase of organic matter supply due to the excessive growth of the phytoplankton is called eutrophication. A common symptom of eutrophication is algae blooms that can produce unsightly surface scums, shade out beneficial types of plants, and poison the water due to toxins produced by the algae. These toxins are a particular problem in systems used for drinking water because some toxins can cause human illness and removal of the toxins is difficult and expensive. Bacterial decomposition of algal blooms consumes dissolved oxygen in the water, generating hypoxia with detrimental consequences for fish and aquatic invertebrates. Nitrogen is the other key ingredient in fertilizers, and it generally becomes a pollutant in saltwater or brackish estuarine systems where nitrogen is a limiting nutrient. Similar to phosphorus in fresh- waters, excess amounts of bioavailable nitrogen in marine systems lead to eutrophication and algae blooms. Hypoxia is an increasingly common result of eutrophication in marine systems and can impact large areas of estuaries, bays, and near shore coastal waters. Each summer, hypoxic conditions form in bottom waters where the Mississippi River enters the Gulf of Mexico. During recent summers, the aereal extent of this . The nitrogen is usually added to a watershed as organic- N or ammonia (NH3), so nitrogen stays attached to the soil until oxidation converts it into nitrate. Since the nitrate is generally already incorporated into the soil, the water traveling through the soil (i. Toxic contaminants and chemicals. These compounds include pesticides like DDT, acids, and salts that have severe effects to the ecosystem and water- bodies. These compounds can threaten the health of both humans and aquatic species while being resistant to environmental breakdown, thus allowing them to persist in the environment. Pathogens found in contaminated runoff may include: Coliform bacteria and fecal matter may also be detected in runoff. Paved surfaces, such as asphalt and concrete are impervious to water penetrating them. Any water that is on contact with these surfaces will run off and be absorbed by the surrounding environment. These surfaces make it easier for stormwater to carry pollutants into the surrounding soil. Additionally, discarded debris on the site can be carried away by runoff waters and enter the aquatic environment. These chemicals can end up in runoff and enter the surrounding environment via storm drains in the city. Since the water in storm drains is not treated before flowing into surrounding water bodies, the chemicals enter the water directly. Agricultural operations. When large tracts of land are plowed to grow crops, it exposes and loosens soil that was once buried. This makes the exposed soil more vulnerable to erosion during rainstorms. It also can increase the amount of fertilizer and pesticides carried into nearby bodies of water. Typically, industrial facilities, like factories, emit air pollution via a smokestack. Although this is a point source, due to the distributional nature, long- range transport, and multiple sources of the pollution, it is considered a nonpoint source. Additionally, atmospheric pollution can become water pollution, by being washed out of the atmosphere in the form of rain or snow. This action, coupled with the heavy machinery rolling over the soil increases the risk of erosion. Active mining operations are considered point sources, however runoff from abandoned mining operations contribute to nonpoint source pollution. In strip mining operations, the top of the mountain is removed to expose the desired ore. If this area is not properly reclaimed once the mining has finished, soil erosion can occur. Additionally, there can be chemical reactions with the air and newly exposed rock to create acidic runoff. Water that seeps out of abandoned subsurface mines can also be highly acidic. This can seep into the nearest body of water and change the p. H in the aquatic environment. Additionally, spilling fuels or leaking fuels directly into the water from boats contribute to nonpoint source pollution. Nutrient and bacteria levels are increased by poorly maintained sanitary waste receptacles on the boat and pump- out stations. Buffer strips provide a barrier of grass in between impervious paving material like parking lots and roads, and the closest body of water. This allows the soil to absorb any pollution before it enters the local aquatic system. Retention ponds can be built in drainage areas to create an aquatic buffer between runoff pollution and the aquatic environment. Runoff and storm water drain into the retention pond allowing for the contaminates to settle out and become trapped in the pond. The use of porous pavement allows for rain and storm water to drain into the ground beneath the pavement, reducing the amount of runoff that drains directly into the water body. Restoration methods such as constructing wetlands are also used to slow runoff as well as absorb contamination. Construction sites typically implement simple measures to reduce pollution and runoff. Firstly, sediment or silt fences are erected around construction sites to reduce the amount of sediment and large material draining into the nearby water body. Secondly, laying grass or straw along the border of construction sites also work to reduce nonpoint source pollution. In Washington (state), a novel approach to was developed through creation of a . The shellfish protection district is a geographic area designated by a county to protect water quality and tideland resources, and provides a mechanism to generate local funds for water quality services to control nonpoint sources of pollution. Common techniques include contour plowing, crop mulching, crop rotation, planting perennial crops and installing riparian buffers. The farmer leaves some crop reside from the previous planting in the ground to help prevent runoff during the planting process. Nutrients may also enter runoff from crop residues, irrigation water, wildlife, and atmospheric deposition. By planning the trails location as far away from the logging activity as possible as well as contouring the trails with the land, it can reduce the amount of loose sediment in the runoff. Additionally, by replanting trees on the land after logging, it provides a structure for the soil to regain stability as well as replaces the logged environment. Additionally, pump- out stations that are easily accessible to boaters in a marina can provide a clean place in which to dispose of sanitary waste without dumping it directly into the water. Finally, something as simple as having trash containers around a marina can prevent larger objects entering the water. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA- 8. 41- R- 0. EPA. EPA 8. 41- B- 0. EPA. National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Hydromodification. EPA 8. 41- B- 0. 5- 0. Iowa State University. Court Stevenson, Catherine B. Piper and Nedra Confer (1. Fish and Wildlife Service. Annapolis, MD.^ abcdef. Penn State University. Pennsylvania Lake Erie NEMO.
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