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Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) comes from a wide range of sources. Rainfall, snowmelt, or irrigation moving over and through the ground causes nonpoint source pollution. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants and deposits them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and underground sources of drinking water. Agriculture, forestry, grazing, septic systems, recreational boating, urban runoff, construction, physical changes to stream channels, and habitat degradation are potential sources …

…which impact water quality-in the top layer of soil. Farmers can reduce NPS pollution from irrigation by improving water use efficiency. Actual crop needs can be measured with a variety of equipment. Numerous government programs are available to help people design and pay for management approaches to prevent and control NPS pollution. Also, several U.S. Department of Agriculture and state-funded programs provide cost-share, technical assistance, and economic incentives to implement NPS pollution management practices.