USDA initiative to reduce agricultural runoff

The USDA has developed a new program to improve water quality across the U.S. The initiative will assist farmers, ranchers and forest landowners in implementing conservation practices to control and trap agricultural runoff before it enters nearby watersheds. Nutrient and manure runoff are common causes of eutrophication, harmful algal blooms and high bacteria counts. Excess nutrients are blamed for poor water quality in over 50 percent of impaired lakes. Funding from the USDA is available for priority watersheds throughout the U.S.

Read more at Water World and NRCS.

Image credit: NOAA Ocean Service