Nonpoint Source
Water Pollution from Agriculture
What’s
the problem?
Pollutants enter our rivers,
streams and lakes from many sources. In Illinois the
number one cause of nonpoint source water pollution
continues to be agriculture. Other nonpoint sources,
such as mining activities, construction activities
and urban runoff, also contribute significantly to
the detriment of our waterways and public water supply
reservoirs. However, these sources trail agriculture
in most geographical areas of Illinois even though
the agriculture industry has already made much progress
to reduce erosion from cropland and runoff from livestock
management facilities. Nonpoint source (NPS) water
pollution from agricultural activities is difficult
to control. Because it pours off the land and not from
industrial or municipal pipes, such runoff is largely
unregulated and is detrimental to water quality. The
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), in
their Illinois Water Quality Report 2002 concludes
that of the waters assessed, 33% of the stream miles
and 92% of the inland lake acres need additional NPS
corrective action to eliminate use impairments and
thereby attain designated uses. Agriculture is the
primary contributor of NPS pollution and the leading
source of agricultural pollution is soil erosion. Livestock
waste, pesticides, and fertilizers are pollutants that
also have adverse effects on the State’s waters.
What
are the effects?
Although Illinois
is one of the leading states in the nation in acres
planted using conservation tillage practices such as
no-till, ridge-till, and mulch-till, the State’s fertile
farm ground continues to erode away in excessive amounts
into our lakes, streams and rivers. It is estimated
that the annual soil loss from rural Illinois land
typically exceeds 111 million tons. This soil is not
only washed away, but also blown from land and most
is deposited in lakes and other impoundments, or in
the bottoms of slow-moving waterways. What remains
eventually flows down the Illinois and Mississippi
Rivers and causes sediment problems downstream.
Sediment
as a pollutant.
Sediment
is mineral or organic matter that can blanket the bottoms
of lakes and rivers and smother aquatic life such as
insects and mussels. It can interfere with the spawning
of fish and other aquatic animals. Also, sediment can
be detrimental when it is still suspended in water.
It can make water cloudy or turbid. High turbidity
makes water aesthetically unpleasant and reduces recreational
opportunities. Suspended sediment can clog fish gills
which interferes with breathing. Sediment blocks light
from reaching aquatic plant life, slowing or stopping
plant growth. Decreased light penetration will reduce
the photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton (microscopic
algae) which will result in less oxygen production.
Also, sediment may raise water temperatures since it
darkens water and causes it to absorb more solar radiation.
When this warmer water, which cannot hold as much dissolved
oxygen as colder water, is combined with reduced photosynthetic
activity, fish kills may occur.
Is
there a public health concern?
About
130 public water supply systems in Illinois use surface
water reservoirs. These lakes and reservoirs supply
water for drinking and other domestic purposes to approximately
5.5 million Illinois residents, or roughly 1/2 of the
State’s population. Surface water supplies continuously
lose storage capacity due to sedimentation. Studies
have shown that some of these lakes are being contaminated
with excess nutrients, pesticides and livestock waste.
Nutrients, from the fertilization of cropland or livestock
waste runoff, accelerate the eutrophication process
within lakes. Certain pesticides, when ingested, are
known to increase the likelihood of contracting serious
illnesses. Livestock wastes also contain harmful bacteria
and antibiotics used to promote animal growth, that
are not only a health concern, but contribute to color,
taste, and odor problems in our drinking water supplies
What’s
the solution?
Education and public involvement
are the keys to effective solutions to protect our
environment. Although it may appear that the responsibility
to reduce agriculture related nonpoint source (NPS)
water pollution falls squarely on the farmer and rural
property owners, we all must share this responsibility
to assure our the food supply is stable and of the
best possible quality. The farmer, usually, is not
able to charge a price for his crops based on the cost
of production, as most other industries can. Consequently,
it is unrealistic to expect the farmer to bear the
entire cost of preventing agriculture related NPS pollution.
What
Can Farmers Do?
-
Use conservation practices such as no-till, ridge-till,
contour farming systems and strip farming systems.
-
Participate in the Illinois Department of Agriculture
(IDOA) Conservation Practices Cost-Share Program aimed
at reducing soil loss on Illinois cropland through conservation
practices, such as terraces, filter strips and grass waterways.
-
Enroll
in government programs and remove marginal cropland from
production.
-
Plant
trees and implement other erosion prevention practices
along stream banks.
-
Construct
grassed waterways, water and sediment control basins
and grade stabilization structures.
-
Use
pesticides with low toxicities and avoid pesticide drift
that can harm susceptible vegetation, wildlife and water
supplies.
-
Use
pesticides that have a lower water solubility to prevent
runoff and leaching.
-
Use
an Integrated Pest Management program in place of herbicides
and insecticides (see the University of Illinois Integrated
Pest Management web site at http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/ for
assistance).
-
Use
less fertilizer by only applying it in nutrient deficient
areas of the field.
-
Construct
rinse pads at agrichemical loading and mixing locations
to protect against accidental releases.
-
Rotate
legumes and other nutrient rich crops into regular cropping
systems.
-
Use
nitrification inhibitors to tie up nitrogen within the
soil and consider applying nitrogen in the fall to better
manage the nitrogen supply and reduce the potential impact
on water quality.
-
Ensure
that livestock management and waste-handling facilities
are designed, constructed and operated in accordance
with the Livestock Management Facilities Act administered
by the IDOA.
-
Build
settling basins and waste storage ponds to collect feedlot
runoff and use properly sealed livestock waste storage
structures.
-
Maintain
permanent vegetation, year-round, at all outdoor animal
production facilities.
-
Apply
livestock wastes to cropland at the appropriate agronomic
rate.
What
Can Your Community Do?
-
Organize
or join a local watershed planning and management (ecosystem)
partnership since problems such as water quality degradation,
flooding, erosion, and excessive sedimentation are most
effectively addressed at the level of the natural drainage
unit, the watershed. Contact your county Soil and Water
Conservation District for information on existing partnerships
or on how to organize one.
-
Encourage
these partnerships to develop
"best management practices" (BMPs) to implement
nonpoint source (NPS) management projects (e.g. shoreline
and stream bank stabilization, wetland restoration, storm
water and sediment detention basins, terraces, nutrient
management, and educational programs) which can be partially
funded by Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act.
-
Encourage
governmental units, educational institutions, non-profit
groups and individuals to apply to IDOA for sustainable
agriculture grants for projects that can be completed
in a timely and professional manner.
-
Pursue
cost-share assistance through the IDOA Streambank Stabilization
and Restoration Programs to mitigate the effects of streambank
erosion, a major source of sediment buildup in bodies
of water that threatens soil, water, plant and animal
resources.
-
Encourage
your local schools to apply for Lake Education Assistance
Program funds from the IEPA to provide lake related educational
materials including equipment to study lakes and transportation
to and attendance at lake related conferences and workshops.
-
Apply
for an assistance grant from the IEPA under the Illinois
Clean Lakes or the Priority Lake Watershed Programs to
study and implement lake protection/restoration programs
for lakes with water quality problems.
-
Support
and promote agricultural education programs including
Future Farmers of America and 4-H Clubs.
-
Support
your local Natural Resource Conservation and Cooperative
Extension Services who provide technical assistance to
farmers.
-
Report
serious NPS pollution problems to local, county, or state
authorities.
-
Encourage
your elected officials to fund more NPS pollution prevention
projects.
-
Encourage
local farmers to implement NPS pollution prevention practices.
-
Learn
how fertilizers and pesticides are used and how they
affect the cost of production, shelf life, and marketing
of agricultural products.
-
Purchase
higher priced agricultural products that were grown without
pesticides.
-
Require
all abandoned wells be sealed to protect the groundwater
and drinking water supplies.
-
Support
wetlands' preservation since they act as natural filters
of pollution, provide habitat for wildlife and flood
control.
-
Encourage
friends and neighbors to get involved by identifying
other, local NPS problems.
If you
would like further information about nonpoint source pollution
problems and recommended prevention practices, or any of
the other programs of the Illinois
Water Environment Association, write the IWEA, P.
O. Box 337, West Chicago, IL 60186-0337, telephone 630/293-226.
Preventing
Nonpoint Source Pollution is Everybody’s Job |
