The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded $2,988,000 to the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC) to support management of nonpoint-source water pollution. The funding will be used for a variety of projects designed to improve water quality in several priority watersheds.
Nonpoint-source pollution (NPS) is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over the ground. This runoff picks up natural and man-made pollutants as it flows, eventually depositing the material into lakes, rivers, and groundwater. This type of pollution can be difficult to manage since it cannot be traced to a specific source.
EPA’s grant will help the ANRC to fund NPS management projects such as controlling animal wastes, sediment, pesticides, and fertilizers; watershed planning and monitoring; and education and outreach programs. The projects will focus on reducing pollution in priority watersheds throughout Arkansas, including the Illinois River, Bayou Bartholomew, Strawberry River, and L’Anguille River.
The nonpoint-source pollution control program supports the goals of the Clean Water Act to protect rivers, lakes, bays, wetlands, and coastal waters. Streams and wetlands benefit communities by trapping floodwaters, recharging groundwater supplies, removing pollution and providing habitats for fish and wildlife. Families and farms located downstream understand the importance of healthy headwaters upstream. One in three Americans get their drinking water from public systems that rely on seasonal and rain-dependent streams. EPA is taking public comment on a rule to help protect our nation’s waters. For more information please visit: www.epa.gov/uswaters.