The majority of all water quality pollution does not come from the end of pipe, but comes from parking lots, farms, communities, and even our own backyards. The water that runs across our watersheds inadvertently transports pollutants such as excess nutrients, bacteria, oils/gases, and sediments that impair our Kansas waters. These pollutants are known as Nonpoint Source Pollution and are the leading cause of water pollution in the United States today. They are called nonpoint source pollutants because their origin is not a single defined source but many different sources.
Watersheds, which is any area of land whose water drains to a single point, come in all shapes and sizes. How we use and maintain the land in the watershed directly affects water quality for our downstream neighbors. The Kansas Department of Health Environment's Watershed Management Section invites all Kansans to become clean water neighbors to help keep our state waters clean. We are all part of the solution to protect and restore this valuable natural resource. Questions? Contact the watershed management section.
Our Work
The Watershed Management Section implements Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, coordinating programs designed to eliminate or minimize pollution that does not come from the end of a pipe. The section develops and reviews strategies, management plans, local environmental protection plans, and county environmental codes intended to control nonpoint source pollution.
Video: Soil Health Practices Reduce Sediment
Learn how soil health practices have reduced sediment in the Black Vermillion River.