Non-Point Source Management Program
Non-point source (NPS) pollution is the leading cause of water quality problems in the United States. The NPS pollution can include:
· Excess fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides from agricultural lands and residential areas
· Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production
· Sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding streambanks
· Salt from irrigation practices and acid drainage from abandoned mines
· Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes and faulty septic systems
· Atmospheric deposition and hydromodification
The goal of the NPS Management Program is to reduce NPS pollution on the Nez Perce Reservation, restore and maintain degraded systems/habitats, preserve natural ecosystems, and educate landowners and the general public. To date, the program has fenced over 100 miles of stream, planted several hundred miles of riparian vegetation, assisted landowners in no-till farming practices, obliterated or repaired roads that were negatively impacting water quality, and helped to install off-site watering structures for livestock.
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