The ND Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) serves on the ND NPS Pollution Task Force along with representatives from other State and Federal natural resource agencies, commodity/producer groups, tribal councils, and private wildlife/natural resource organizations to provide input to the ND Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) in their administration of Section 319 Clean Water Act funding.  NPS pollution can be a variety of contaminants that are delivered to surface waters by way of runoff or leached into groundwater.  Some common sources of NPS pollution include agricultural lands, construction sites, and urban streets and parking lots.

Section 319 of the Clean Water Act defines the scope of the non-point source pollution management program of which NDDEQ is the state partner with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to manage the program for North Dakota.  NDDEQ administers the section 319 funds appropriated by United States Congress through EPA to the states.  North Dakota’s 319 funds have been allocated to numerous locally sponsored projects which promote voluntary NPS pollution mitigation and water quality improvements.  The primary focus of the NPS funds has been agriculture to provide funds for implementing best management practices (BMPs) and the dissemination of information about non-point source pollution issues through educational programming.  Although the primary focus is agriculture, any local sponsor may apply for funding with the goal of reducing/preventing NPS pollution impairing waters of the State.

For additional information:

NDDEQ NPS pollution :
https://www.deq.nd.gov/WQ/3_Watershed_Mgmt/1_NPS_Mgmt/NPS.aspx

EPA Polluted Runoff (Nonpoint Source Pollution) website:
https://www.epa.gov/nps