Agriculture and Water Quality: Best Management Practices for Minnesota

In the past, efforts to improve Minnesota's water have concentrated on controlling pollution from point sources-municipal or industrial facilities discharging to state waters. We· have made good progress in controlling point source pollution in recent years, largely through the construction of new wastewater treatment facilities for cities and industries. But Minnesota's lakes, streams and ground water continue to be degraded by pollutants that are carried to water in runoff or infiltration from land areas. These forms of pollution are called nonpoint source pollution. Agricultural nonpoint source pollution is very complex. In order to make reasonable decisions about how to solve the problem, we must first understand what the pollutants are and how they enter our waters. This handbook is designed to help people become aware of nonpoint source pollution and provide basic information about agricultural practices that can be used to help prevent it.