Over the past few decades, the increase in population and advances made in farming technology has increased the demand for crops and livestock from the agricultural industry. This growth in agricultural production has resulted in an increase in contaminants polluting soil and waterways.

1. AGRICULTURE WATER
POLLUTION

2. Introduction
 Over the past few decades, the increase in
population and advances made in farming
technology has increased the demand for
crops and livestock from the agricultural
industry. This growth in agricultural production
has resulted in an increase in contaminants
polluting soil and waterways.

3. Agriculture water pollution
“Any undesirable change in physical,
chemical, biological quality of water due to
agriculture sources”
it is detrimental to human and agriculture
too.
Acc. To FAO 58% of all water pollution is
alone from agriculture

4. Agriculture as a Cause
It is a cause through its discharge of pollutants
and sediment to surface and/or groundwater,
through net loss of soil by poor agricultural
practices, and through salinization and
waterlogging of irrigated land

5. Sources of AWP
1. Point source from a single
discharge point
2. Non-point source to more
diffuse, landscape-level causes

6. Point sources
 Point source pollution refers to contaminants
that enter a waterway from a single,
identifiable source, such as a pipe or ditch. A
way to remember what point source pollution
is that you can point to where the pollution
came from

7. Non-point source of pollution
 arises from a broad group of human activities
for which the pollutants have no obvious point
of entry into receiving watercourses.
 Called as diffuse source of AWP.
 non-point source pollution is much more
difficult to identify, measure and control than
point sources

8. NONPOINT SOURCES
Urban streets
Suburban
development
Wastewater
treatment
plant
Rural homes
Cropland
Factory
Animal feedlot
POINT
SOURCES

9. Pesticides
Pesticides and herbicides are applied to agricultural
land to control pests that disrupt crop production.
Pesticide leaching
Pesticide leaching occurs when pesticides mix with
water and move through the soil, ultimately
contaminating groundwater. The amount of
leaching is correlated with particular soil and
pesticide characteristics and the degree of rainfall
and irrigation. Leaching is most likely to happen if
using a water-soluble pesticide, when the soil
tends to be sandy in texture, if excessive
watering occurs just after pesticide application, if
the adsorption ability of the pesticide to the soil is

11. Fertilizers
 Leaching, runoff, and eutrophication
The nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) applied to
agricultural land (via synthetic fertilizers, composts,
manures, biosolids, etc.) can provide valuable plant
nutrients. However, if not managed correctly, excess
N and P can have negative environmental
consequences. Excess N supplied by both synthetic
fertilizers (as highly soluble nitrate) and organic
sources such asmanures (whose organic N is
mineralized to nitrate by soil microorganisms) can
lead to groundwater contamination of nitrate. Nitrate-
contaminated drinking water can cause blue baby
syndrome. Together with excess P from these same
fertilizer sources, eutrophication can occur
downstream due to excess nutrient supply, leading
to anoxic areas called dead zones.

14.  Heavy metals
The major inputs of heavy metals (e.g. lead,
cadmium, arsenic, mercury) into agricultural
systems are fertilizers, organic wastes such as
manures, and industrial byproduct wastes.
Some farming techniques, such as irrigation,
can lead to accumulation of selenium (Se) that
occurs naturally in the soil.[5] This can result in
downstream water reservoirs containing
concentrations of selenium that are toxic to
wildlife, livestock, and humans

16. AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS ON
WATER QUALITY
1. Surface water
2. Ground water

17. Agricultural impacts on water quality
1. Tillage/ploughing
Sediment/turbidity: sediments
carry phosphorus and pesticides
adsorbed to sediment particles;
siltation of river beds and loss
of habitat, spawning ground, etc.

18. Impacts
Surface water Groundwater
2. Fertilizing
Runoff of nutrients, especially
phosphorus,leading to eutrophication
causing taste and odour in public
water supply, excess algae growth
leading to deoxygenating
of water and fish kills.
Leaching of nitrate to
groundwater; excessive
levels are a threat to
public health.

20. 3. Manure spreading
Impacts
Surface water Groundwater
Carried out as a fertilizer activity;
spreading on frozen ground results
in high levels of contamination of
receiving waters by pathogens,
metals, phosphorus and nitrogen
leading to eutrophication and
potential contamination.
Contamination of ground-water
especially by nitrogen

21. 4. Irrigation
Impacts
Surface water Groundwater
Runoff of salts leading to salinization
of surface waters; runoff of fertilizers
and pesticides to surface waters with
ecological damage, bioaccumulation
in edible fish species, etc. High levels
of trace elements such as selenium
can occur with serious ecological
damage and potential human health
impacts.
Enrichment of groundwater with
salts, nutrients (especially nitrat

22. 22
Irrigation

23. Public health impacts
 Contamination of water supplies primarily by
pesticides and fertilizers.
 Disease outbreak.
 Microbiological contamination of food crops.
 Contamination of food crops with toxic
chemicals.

24. Ecological impact
1. Major decline and extinctions of animal, fish
and vegetation species.
2. Destruction of major ecosystems.

25. Solutions
 Nutrient management: Applying fertilizers in
the proper amount, at the right time of year
and with the right method can significantly
reduce the potential for pollution.
 Cover crops: Planting certain grasses, grains
or clovers can help keep nutrients out of the
water by recycling excess nitrogen and
reducing soil erosion.

26.  Buffers: Planting trees, shrubs and grass around
fields, especially those that border water bodies,
can help by absorbing or filtering out nutrients
before they reach a water body.
 Conservation tillage: Reducing how often fields
are tilled reduces erosion and soil compaction,
builds soil organic matter, and reduces runoff.
 Drainage water management: Reducing nutrient
loadings that drain from agricultural fields helps
prevent degradation of the water in local streams
and lakes.

27. refrences
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/
www.epa.gov
www.wikipedia.org