Nonpoint source pollution refers to water pollution in runoff. Soil erosion, agriculture, urban runoff, land development and air pollution deposits are some of the sources of polluted runoff. Nonpoint pollution sources are often challenging to identify, measure and control. Examples of nonpoint sources include:

• Agricultural activities
• Urban storm water run-off
• Construction activities
• Land disposal (landfills and land application of sewage sludge)

Point sources of pollution have a known discharge point, such as a pipe or sewer. Examples of point sources include:

• Municipal sewage treatment
• Combined sewer overflows
• Industrial wastewater
• Electrical power plants.

• Drinking Water from Household Wells
• EPA: Polluted Runoff - Nonpoint Source Pollution
• Managing Nonpoint Source Pollution from Households
• Missouri's 2002 Water Quality Report
• Missouri Coalition for the Environment
• Nonpoint Source Pollution - Rural Sources
• Nonpoint Source Pollution - Ohio State University
• Protecting Water from Nonpoint Source Pollution
• Point and Nonpoint Source Pollution - MoWIN
• Residential Pollution
• Urban Pollution
• Water Pollution - Missouri Botanical Gardens
• Watershed Restoration Action Strategies (WRAS) - Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
• What is Nonpoint Source Pollution?
• What you can do to prevent water pollution in your Community

Elk River | James River | Sac River | Spring River | North Fork Salt River

Missouri Department
of Natural Resources

Missouri Watershed Information Network (MoWIN)
Send comments to: mowin1@missouri.edu
205 Agricultural Engineering
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: (573) 882-0085
Toll Free: (MO only): 1-877-H20-shed (426-7433)
Fax: (573) 884-5650

Page last updated August 26, 2008