Alabama Water Quality Information System

— Choose a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) —


	1.-		Are agricultural pesticides considered a potential source of copper pollution for water?


	2.-		Are there specific bacterial groups known to be capable of reducing arsenic from As(V) to As(III), the more soluble form, making it more likely to contaminate ground water?


	3.-		Can arsenic that has been applied to the landscape in pesticides or as a residual component of poultry manures, or arsenic that has been buried in unlined landfills, migrate through soil and geologic formations to contaminate ground water wells?


	4.-		Does forest fertilization in the U.S. impact water quality?


	5.-		Does genetic engineering in agriculture provide environmental benefits?


	6.-		Does manure nutrient surpluses greater than crop needs in specific geographical areas imply water quality or other environmental problems in those areas?


	7.-		Has the development of herbicide tolerant agricultural crops, also called genetically modified (GM) or transgenic crops, been beneficial to the environment, especially for pollution prevention and water quality improvement?


	8.-		How can the development of transgenic (genetically modified, GM) agricultural plants benefit water quality and pollution prevention?


	9.-		How do average nitrogen and phosphorus levels in streams draining forested watersheds compare to levels in streams draining agricultural watersheds?


	10.-		How do I dispose of old pesticides?


	11.-		How do toxic chemicals like cadmium, lead and arsenic get in products being marketed and applied to land as fertilizers in the United States?


	12.-		How does irrigation affect water quality?


	13.-		How does the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) of USDA benefit the environment?


	14.-		How does the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) actually function?


	15.-		How does toxic heavy metals get in �ag lime� that is commonly added to agricultural soils to raise pH?


	16.-		I don't use pesticides in my home garden. Why do farmers use them?


	17.-		In humid climates amorphous iron oxy-hydroxide deposits commonly seep from road banks or banks along streams to coat sediment, rocks or even vegetative debris in streams with an unsightly bright orange coating. Are such deposits environmentally benign of arsenic or other potentially toxic elements?


	18.-		Is phosphorus in precipitation higher in agricultural areas than rural nonagricultural areas?


	19.-		Is the practice of land application of biosolids from wastewater treatment an environmentally sustainable practice?


	20.-		Is there a direct linkage between livestock production and outbreaks of pfiesteria ?


	21.-		Is there a link between microbes and arsenic contamination levels found in ground water?


	22.-		Should I be concerned about initiating a detailed record-keeping system for all fertilizer and pesticide uses on my farm?


	23.-		There is a growing concern that hazardous biosolids are being land-applied under the guise of fertilizers, and that such materials may contain toxic chemicals that are going to cause all sorts of problems in the future. Is this true?


	24.-		What are conservation buffers?


	25.-		What are right to farm laws?


	26.-		What are the consequences of waste mismanagement from animal feeding operations (AFOs)?


	27.-		What are the environmental benefits for agriculture and forestry use of conservation buffers?


	28.-		What are the normal ranges of nitrogen loss from agricultural land to surface waters by air, surface runoff, sediment transport, and subsurface drainage?


	29.-		What are the nutrient management plan (NMP) requirements for CAFOs under the 2003 regulations?


	30.-		What are the primary management options to reduce nitrogen losses in water from agricultural land?

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This website was developed by the ACES Water Quality Team, under the leadership of Dr. James E. Hairston. It is funded, in part, by USDA-CSREES water quality grant support under Section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998.