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<br />The Nonpoint Source Problem
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<br />Water quality experts across the nation have provided convincing
<br />evidence that nQnpolnt source pollution is the major cause of our remain-
<br />ing water quality problems. These same professionals have shown that
<br />runoff from rural lands contributes most of the non point source pollution
<br />nationwide, Runoff and leachate from agricultural land, for example, can
<br />carry all kinds of pollutants ~ nutrients, animal waste, pesticides, bacteria,
<br />sediments. These materials can contaminate ground and surface water
<br />supplies, impair recreational uses of surface waters, reduce water storage,
<br />harm commercial and sport fisheries, and degrade the water's aesthetic
<br />qualities,
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<br />Possible Solutions
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<br />Nonpolnt source pollution can be managed, controlled, and often
<br />prevented by chlinging some of the ways we use the land. Both section
<br />319 of the Clean Water Act and the new Water Quality Initiative by the U.s.
<br />Department of Agriculture actively encourage control and prevention of
<br />nonpoint source pollution. Several nationwide programs (either completed
<br />or ongoing) address non point source controls: the Areawide Wastewater
<br />Management Program under section 208 of the Clean Water Act, the
<br />Nationwide Urban Runoff Program (NURP), the Clean Lakes Program,
<br />and -specifically targeted to agricultural non point source problems -the
<br />Model Implementation Program (MIP) and the Rural Clean Water Program
<br />(RCWP).
<br />These programs have approached non point source pollution in various
<br />ways; one of the most innovative has been the Rural Clean Water Pro-
<br />gram, on which' this handbook focuses, RCWP is a federal program
<br />designed to use Interagency cooperation, the existing federallstatellocal
<br />partnership, voluntary participation, and cost-sharing to control agricul-
<br />turally generated 'nonpoint source pollution at the local leveL
<br />Charged with ,finding ways to prevent andlor reduce agricultural non-
<br />point source pollution, the RCWP was set up as a 15-year experiment. Its
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<br />RCWP Project Locations
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<br />Legend:
<br />. General monitoring &
<br />evaluation
<br />*Comprehenslve monitoring &
<br />evaluation
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<br />What's Nonpolnt Source
<br />(NPS) Pollution '~
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<br />In simple terms, NPSsare not poInt
<br />sources. Point sources are, defined
<br />under section 502(14} of the Clean
<br />Water Act (eWA):
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<br />The term 'point source' means any
<br />discernible, confined and discrete
<br />conveyance, including Ifu! nO/-
<br />limited to any pipe, ditch, channe~
<br />/unne~ conduit. wel~ diScrete
<br />fissure. container, rolling stock,
<br />concentrated anima/feeding
<br />operatio/; or vessel-or other
<br />floating craft, from which
<br />pollutants are or may be
<br />discharged. This term d~s not
<br />include agricultural sto;:mwa.ter
<br />discharges and return flows from
<br />irrigated agriculture.
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<br />In practical terms, NPSpollution
<br />does not resuft from a discharge at II
<br />specific, single location (w~h the
<br />exception of agricultural storm water
<br />discharges and irrigation r~tum flOWS)
<br />but generally results from land runoff.
<br />precipftation, atmospheric deposftion,
<br />drainage, or seepage.
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<br />RCWP Objectives
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<br />(I) to improve water quality and
<br />beneficial uses in the most cost'e~ctive
<br />manner possible, consistent with the
<br />production of food and fiber.
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<br />(2) to help rura/landowners and
<br />farmers practice nonpoint source
<br />pollution control, and
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<br />(3) to develop and test programs,
<br />policies, and procedures designarl to
<br />control agricufturaf nonpoint'$ourca
<br />pollution
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