What is nonpoint source pollution, and how does it affect the lake?
Nonpoint source pollution refers to water pollution that does not originate from a single clearly identifiable source like a pipe from a factory into a water body. Nonpoint source pollution originates over a broad area of land and a variety of sources and can be in an urban or rural setting. Examples of nonpoint source pollution include sediment from construction sites, uncovered salt storage from highway operations, leachate from septic tanks, agricultural runoff of sediment or manure, fertilizer or pesticides from farms and residential lawns, street litter, and petroleum products from automobiles. These pollutants can be carried to streams and lakes in runoff or transported to street drains through wind, rain, and snow and then carried into waterways. See more on Onondaga County’s website. Because of its dispersed sources, nonpoint source pollution is more difficult to control than point source pollution. It’s also more difficult to assess effects on the lake’s water quality from non
