What is point source pollution?  

     Point source pollution is pollution that comes from a single identifiable source, such as a smokestack of a power plant, or the drainpipe of a meatpacking plant. These pollution sources are usually easier to identify and control than nonpoint source pollution.

   What is nonpoint source pollution?

     Nonpoint source pollution occurs when rainfall, snowmelt, or irrigation runs over land or through the ground, picks up pollutants, and deposits them into rivers, lakes, and coastal waters or introduces them into ground water. For ideas on how to prevent nonpoint source pollution visit the Links Page on this site.