Agricultural Runoff

Definition

Agricultural runoff refers to the movement of water containing fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals from farmland into nearby bodies of water.

Analogy

Imagine a garden hose watering plants in your backyard. If you accidentally spill some fertilizer on the ground and then turn on the hose, the water washing away the fertilizer is like agricultural runoff carrying pollutants into rivers or lakes.

Related terms

Non-point Source Pollution: Agricultural runoff is a type of non-point source pollution because it comes from diffuse sources (farmlands) rather than one specific point.

Eutrophication: Eutrophication is a process that occurs when excessive nutrients from sources like agricultural runoff enter bodies of water, leading to an overgrowth of algae and depletion of oxygen levels.

Best Management Practices (BMPs): BMPs are strategies or techniques implemented by farmers to minimize agricultural runoff and reduce its impact on water quality.