SHAWNEE COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
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Non Point Source Pollution

Pollution Defined

Picture
In the simplest of terms, a pollutant is a substance that once it gets into the environment, tends to elevate the "natural" background level of that substance. In many cases, there may not be any amount of the "manufactured" substance there in the first place.

Of most concern is the pollutants that get into water from both rural and urban activities. The main six types of pollutants that reduces the quality of the water.
  • Sediment (Wind and water erosion of soils)
  • Nutrients (Fertilizer, animal wastes, sewage treatment plants)
  • Animal Wastes (Fecal coliform from livestock and septic systems)
  • Pesticides (Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc...)
  • Salt (Mostly from applied road salt)
  • Toxics (Manufactured and refined products like oil, paints, anti-freeze)

There are two general classifications of pollutant sources. *** Point and Non-Point ***

Point Source Pollution
Pollutants that are coming from a concentrated originating point like a pipe from a factory or a large registered feedlot with a specific point of discharge. Point Source Pollution is registered sources of potential pollution and is regulated by federal, state and local laws. The Shawnee County Conservation District generally is not involved with point source pollution.

Non-Point Source Pollution
An official definition used for several years in Kansas has been: Pollutants from as source that is not required to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES). NPDES permits are required for cities, industries, storm water runoff from cities over 100,000 population, storm water runoff from certain industries and animal feedlots with more than 1000 animal units. Everything left over is a non-point pollutant source. The conservation district likes to explain Non-Point Source Pollution this way. Pollutants detected in a concentrated water source such as a stream, river or lake, that come from a wide range of sources. These pollutants come from sources the common person has control over. You know, like that used oil poured into storm drains or on the ground. It is more of a way to express the accumulation of pollutants as a result of common, wide spread activities in both urban and rural areas.

The primary Non-Point Source Pollution (NPS) concern of the Shawnee County Conservation District for the past 40 years has been soil erosion. Since 1991 the district has broaden it's activities to address this and other concerns.
  • Soil erosion from farmland fields as well as construction sites.
  • Fertilizer runoff from both rural and urban areas.
  • Pesticide runoff from both rural and urban areas.
  • Animal waste management.
  • Paint, oil, anti-freeze and other contaminants poured directly into storm drains.
  • Activates near a water source that can easily be contaminated without care.
  • Illegal dump sites.
  • Failing septic systems.

The Shawnee County Conservation District through their Non-Point Source (NPS) Pollution Program is addressing these issues in part through a financial assistance program (tab above).

More Information?

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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Conservation Priorities
    • History
  • Contact Us
  • Equipment
    • No-Till Drill >
      • No-Till Drill for Rent
      • Drill Use Documents
      • Seed Photos and Information
    • Root Plow
  • Construction
    • Contractors
    • Ponds - Construction, Problems, Repair, Fish >
      • Basic Elements of a Pond Dam (Drawings and Text Version)
      • Pond Dams Build Right - Pictorial Version
      • Pond Management
      • Pond Maintenance
      • Excess Vegetation Management
      • Replacing A Pond Pipe
      • Sealing A Leaky Pond
    • Plugging Abandoned Water Wells 2
  • Partners
    • Other Agencies
  • Natural Resources
    • Conservation Balance
    • Natural Resources
    • Non Point Source Pollution >
      • Non Point Source Pollution
      • Plugging Abandoned Water Wells
      • Septic System Maintenance Links
      • Septic Tank Maintenance
    • Soil >
      • Soil Basics
      • Soil Ecosystem
      • Soil pH
      • Soil Testing
    • Cropland Planting Resources
    • No-Till and Water Infiltration
    • Cover Crops >
      • Cover - Forage Crops
      • Planting - Managing Cover Crops
    • Livestock Water
    • Top 9 BMPS for Nutrient Management
    • Maintain Soil Nutrients
    • Problem Weeds
    • Brush Management
    • Caucasian Bluestem
    • Air Quality
  • Urban and/or Small Acreage
    • Why Urban Conservation
    • Urban/Small Acreage Essentials
    • Country Living Considerations >
      • Country Living
      • Essential Check List
    • Backyard - Projects In Your Own Backyard
    • High Tunnels
    • Urban Hydrology
    • Erosion Control On Construction Sites
    • Preventing Urban Water Pollution
  • Education
    • Request A Presentation
    • What Is A Watershed
    • Outdoor Classrooms
    • Nature's Code of Ethics
    • Student Videos >
      • Student Videos
      • Student - More Info - Turbidity Test Expanded
      • Student - More Info - Properties of Water Expanded
      • Student - More Info - Soils
    • Get Outdoors With Conservation
    • Conservation Word Search Puzzles >
      • Agricultural Puzzle
      • NPS Puzzle
      • What We Can Do Puzzle
    • Photos >
      • Conservation Practice Photo Gallery
      • Livestock Agriculture Photos
      • Pond Photos
      • Prescribed Burning Photos
      • Rural Agriculture Photos
      • Urban Conservation Photos
    • Key Conservation Practices
    • Progress In Conservation
  • Financial Assistance
    • State Cost-Share
    • WRAPS
  • Events (Click Here for Winter Events)
    • District Annual Meeting
    • Envirothon
    • Topeka Water Festival
    • History & Environmental Fair
  • Awards
    • 2021 Grassland Award
    • 2021 Soil Conservation Awards
    • 2021 Outstanding Young Conservation Award
  • NEWSLETTERS