Agriculture and agricultural societies have been a part of world history since at least 3,000 B.C. Ancient civilizations in places like Egypt and Mesopotamia have left behind documentation in the form of artifacts and ruins that show evidence of early efforts in large-scale farming, and while modern agricultural systems look much different, the world still relies on farming and ranching for the vast majority of its food.
The Problem Of Farm Runoff
Modern farms and ranches often use large-scale production equipment to administer things like fertilizers and pesticides. This is done to reduce costs and reduce the time it takes to treat large areas of growth.
Unfortunately, this often leads to runoff of pesticides and elements like nitrogen and phosphorus that can be found in commercial fertilizers. These elements can drain into nearby water sources and ultimately end up in drinking water or water that is consumed by nearby wildlife and plants.
Why Is Soil Runoff Harmful To The Environment?
Among the largest concerns surrounding runoff is the addition of hazardous chemicals it can introduce into groundwater. Even in cases where this water will not be processed for consumption, the effects of poisonous pesticides on ecosystems can have far-reaching consequences. Affected wildlife may transfer toxic chemicals to humans in cases where these chemicals have been ingested from plants or lakes and streams.
Even in cases where pesticides aren’t used to treat agricultural land, chemical elements like nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizers can lead to harmful biological and ecological changes to both nearby ecosystems as well as those that are far away from the point of contamination. In the latter case, this is referred to as non-point source pollution.
This occurs when hazardous elements are transmitted to areas far from the source. Non-point source pollution can take place when heavy concentrations of nitrogen or phosphorus enter a stream, and in some cases, this contamination can travel from freshwater sources through groundwater and into coastal waterways.
What Can Be Done To Stop Chemical Runoff And Agricultural Pollution?
Despite the challenges that exist in combating agricultural runoff pollution, solutions do exist. Currently, one of the easiest methods of tackling soil runoff is through the process of soil nutrient management that takes advantage of techniques and technologies that do not rely heavily on fertilizers which lead to runoff concerns.
In addition, irrigation planning and management has proven to be helpful in negating soil runoff. Farmers, ranchers and others who rely on the use of fertilizers and pesticides can utilize efficient zone mapping and agricultural landscaping to direct the flow of runoff to safe zones where it can be processed or neutralized.
The Future of Protection Against Farm Runoff
Looking ahead, new techniques and technologies are on the horizon in the fight against pesticide runoff and runoff caused by fertilizer elements. One easy approach being employed by farmers is organic farming in which natural fertilizers and pesticides are used.
These may include the use of organic compounds like manure as well as organic pest repellents. While these approaches may not contain enough nitrogen and phosphorus on their own or combat insects entirely, they can be used in a combination strategy to reduce the amount of harmful agricultural runoff.
Additionally, chemicals themselves may be able to fight against chemical runoff by neutralizing harmful agents found in pesticides to keep them from affecting groundwater and surrounding wildlife. This approach is particularly useful when cleaning spraying equipment to reduce the amount of runoff that can wash into storm drains.
Bio-engineering is also attempting to solve these problems by creating plants that contain safe pesticides and growth compounds in the plant itself. This would reduce the need for external pesticides and fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus while still producing healthy plants that can be consumed without risks to human health or the environment.
Article Sources:
https://news.illinois.edu
https://www.epa.gov
https://www.usgs.gov
https://www.fbfs.com
