Non-Point Source Pollution

Definitions

Non-Point Source Pollution - "Pollution discharged over a wide land area, not from one specific location. These are forms of diffuse pollution caused by sediment, nutrients, organic and toxic substances originating from land-use activities, which are carried to lakes and streams by surface runoff. Non-point source pollution is contamination that occurs when rainwater, snowmelt, or irrigation washes off plowed fields, city streets, or suburban backyards. As this runoff moves across the land surface, it picks up soil particles and pollutants, such as nutrients and pesticides." - U.S. Geological Survey, 2011

Non-Point Source Pollution - "A contributory factor to water pollution that cannot be traced to a specific spot; for example, pollution that results from water runoff from urban areas, construction sites, agricultural and silvicultural operations, and so forth." - National Water Quality Monitoring Council, 2007

Non-Point Source Pollution - "Pollution that is not release through pipes but rather originates from multiple sources over a relatively large area. Nonpoint sources can be divided into source activities related either to land or water use including failing septic tanks, improper animal-keeping practices, forestry practices, and urban and rural runoff." - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010a

Non-Point Source - "A pollution source that cannot be defined as originating from discrete points such as pipe discharge. Areas of fertilizer and pesticide applications, atmospheric deposition, manure, and natural inputs from plants and trees are types of nonpoint source pollution." - U.S. Geological Survey, 2007

Non-Point Source - "The term non-point source is used to identify source of pollution that are diffuse and do not have a point of origin or that are not introduced into a receiving stream from a standard outlet. Common non-point sources are rain water, runoff from agricultural lands, industrial sites, parking lots, and timber operations, as well as escaping gases from pipes and fittings." - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010b

Non-Point Source Contaminant - "A substance that pollutes or degrades water that comes from lawn or cropland runoff, the atmosphere, roadways, and other diffuse sources." - U.S. Geological Survey, 2007

Related Definitions

Point Source Pollution

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

Nutrients

USGS Information

• Subsurface Point-Source Contamination Investigations and Projects
• Non-Point Source Ground-Water Contamination in Relation to Land Use
• Search the Toxic Substances Hydrology Program's Bibliography for "nonpoint source"

Related Headlines

• The Atmosphere--A Potential Source of MTBE to Ground Water
• Decades Required for Natural Processes to Clean Wastewater-Contaminated Ground Water
• Glyphosphate Found in Wastewater Discharged to Streams

More Information

• Polluted Runoff--Nonpoint Source Pollution, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

References

National Water Quality Monitoring Council, 2007, Glossary of water-quality monitoring terms: Advisory Committee on Water Information, access date July 1, 2011.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010a, Glossary--Total maximum daily loads: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, access date July 1, 2011.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010b, Waste and cleanup risk assessment glossary: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, access date July 1, 2011.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2007, USGS NAWQA glossary: U.S. Geological Survey, , access date July 1, 2011.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2011, Water science glossary of terms: U.S. Geological Survey, access date July 1, 2011.

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