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Controlling nonpoint source pollution is a complex, costly and politically difficult task, because it involves changing land use patterns. The federal government is the most appropriate vehicle to undertake basic water research and to set minimum national water quality standards to ensure consistency across states. Some examples are: · Pennsylvania: $300 million special loan fund for public water supply; · Texas: $600 million revolving loan fund for water supply and wastewater treatment; . Massachusetts: $60 million GO bond for water supply leak detection and rehabilitation-$260 million GO bond for wate~-related construction; · California: $1.75 billion in GO bonds for water activities (total to date); · New Jersey: $1 billion in GO bonds since 1969 for water-related activities; · Florida: $75 + million annually from ad valorem taxes levied by water management districts. State Regulatory Programs In terms of water quality, US. Geological Survey data have shown little change over the past few years. Major degradation of the nation's water bodies has been halted, in spite of increasing population and industrial activity, Both surface and groundwater quality continues, however, to be affected by pollutants from nonpoint sources, runoff from forest, agricultural and urban lands, Controlling nonpoint source pollution is a complex, costly and politically difficult task, because it involves changing land use patterns. The controls or best management practices (BMPs) must be site-specific, and the results are very difficult to measure, The program costs are potentially very large and, in many cases, must be borne by those who do not perceive the benefits. It would be virtually impossible to design a federal regulatory program for controlling non point sources, Many states have established their own control programs, with varying degrees of success. Such programs include education and training in addition to financial incentives, such as low-interest loans, tax incentives and cost-hiring. One ofthe best examples may be Wisconsin's program, which provides cost-sharing and local assistance funds for priority watershed projects selected by state and local representatives. The funds cover 50 to 70 percent of the costs for each BMP. There are 19 projects now under way, typically taking eight to nine years to complete. A preliminary evaluation of the results of two priority watershed projects has been completed five years after the projects were begun in 1979. Groundwater: Effective Non-Federal Approaches Finally, another issue that demonstrates the changes in water management responsibilities is that of groundwater protection and depletion. Notwithstanding recent federal court decisions that have found groundwater to be an article of interstate commerce, management of groundwater logically lends itself to regional, state and local approaches, The varying hydrological conditions, geological nature of the aquifers, and the historical and legal traditions argue against a federal system of controls. In 1973 the National Water Commission report recommended "greater utilization of the compact approach for dealing with regional water problems other than through federally directed and dominated programs," The Delaware River Basin and Susquehanna River Basin Compacts already provide for broad planning, licensing, regulatory and project construction powers at an interstate level. The Western states are currently examining the use of interstate compacts in managing groundwater depletion, Perhaps the best known example of state groundwater management is the Arizona program, It calls for an inventory of groundwater, establishment of active management areas, conservation plans for all water users, and eventual purchase and retirement of farmlands, The cost will be recovered, in part, from groundwater withdrawal fees. New Jersey and Florida have adopted state groundwater quality standards. Some states are considering classifying their groundwater aquifers to provide guidance on the allowable uses of lands above the aquifers, 33