dc.description.abstract |
"Pollution that degrades water quality has been a longstanding challenge in the United States. Environmental legislation in the 1970s, especially the Clean Water Act, substantially improved water quality. However, much of the success has come from restricting pollution that occurs at a fixed location, defined under the Clean Water Act as a point source. Pollution occurring from dispersed, or nonpoint source (NPS), locations has become a central concern because agriculture NPS pollution—surface runoff from excess fertilizers, pesticides, and sediments—is 'the primary source of water quality impairment in the United States'. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists 'some 40,000 water bodies as impaired'. While NPS pollution comes from both urban and rural areas, this paper will focus on efforts to deal with the agricultural context." |
en_US |