Management Program for Nonpoint Source Water Pollution
The Nonpoint Source Management Program plans and implements activities designed to prevent or abate urban and other nonagricultural nonpoint source pollution in Texas waters.
- What is Nonpoint Source Pollution?
- The Watershed Approach
- Management Plan
Request for Public Comment on Proposed 2012 Texas Nonpoint Source Management Program- Grant Program
- Watershed Protection Plans
- Projects
- Annual Reports
- Public Education Resources
- BMP Finder
- For More Information
What Is Nonpoint Source Pollution?
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution results when small amounts of contaminants from a large number of sources are carried by rainfall runoff into streams, lakes, or bays. For example, pollutants may be washed off lawns, construction areas, farms, or highways during a heavy rain and carried to a nearby creek. Nonpoint source pollution is difficult to control because it comes from the everyday activities of many different people, such as fertilizing a lawn, using a pesticide, or constructing a road or building.
In contrast, pollution from point sources comes in large amounts from a single source, such as an industrial operation or a wastewater treatment plant. Pollution from most point sources is controlled through regulations that require treatment of a facility’s wastewater before it is discharged into a nearby lake or stream.
Pollution can alter the integrity of water in one or more ways: chemical, physical, biological, or radiological. Impairment occurs when the rate at which pollutant materials entering water bodies or groundwater exceeds their natural capacity to assimilate them.
The large number of nonpoint sources and the fact that they are difficult to regulate make the voluntary efforts of citizens, businesses, service organizations, and other groups an essential part of the effort to address NPS pollution in Texas.
The Watershed Approach
Protecting our water resources from the impacts of nonpoint source pollution is a complex challenge. Texas uses a watershed approach as its water quality management strategy to protect and restore water quality on a watershed basis. A watershed is the total geographic area that drains storm water (and pollutants) to a particular stream, lake, aquifer, or other water body. The watershed approach examines and addresses water quality concerns in each water body in the context of its watershed and all the potential sources of pollution the watershed contains.
The watershed approach operates under four principles:
- Diverse, well integrated partnerships
- A specific geographic focus(watershed)
- Action driven by environmental objectives and by strong science and data
- Coordinated priority setting and integrated solutions
Management Plan
The Management Plan describes the programs and practices that the state uses to manage nonpoint source pollution in Texas.
Request for Public Comments
The commission requests comments from the public on its:
The Management Program is jointly developed by the TCEQ and the TSSWCB.
The TCEQ will hold a public meeting on February 23, 2012. See meeting details below under Public Meeting.
The public comment period ends at 5:00 p.m. on March 12, 2012.
How to Submit Written Comments
Comments not submitted at the public meeting must be provided in writing and submitted to:
Arthur Talley
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Office of Water, Water Quality Planning Division
MC 203
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, Texas 78711-3087
or faxed to:
512/239-1414.
All comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on March 12, 2012, and reference “2012 Texas Nonpoint Source Management Program.”
Public Meeting
The TCEQ has scheduled a public meeting to receive comments on the Proposed 2012 Texas Nonpoint Source Management Program:
February 23, 2012
9:00 a.m. to noon
Building F, Room 2210
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
12100 Park 35 Circle
Austin, Texas
Directions
Individuals may present oral statements when called upon in order of registration. Open discussion will not occur during the meeting; however, an agency staff member will be available to discuss the matter 30 minutes prior to the meeting and will answer questions before and after the meeting.
People who plan to attend and who have special communication or other accommodation needs should contact Arthur Talley at 512-239-4546. Please make requests for accomodation as far in advance as possible.
Current Management Program
Public Education Resources
The EPA's Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox 
is intended for use by any organization interested in educating the public about pollution from runoff. The Toolbox contains:
- A robust search feature to help you find the most applicable TV, radio or print materials in the Toolbox's product catalog to meet your specific nonpoint source/stormwater outreach needs
- Many materials—TV, radio, and print ads—on various nonpoint source and stormwater topics of concern
BMP Finder
The Draft BMP Finder is a supplement to the Best Management Practices (BMPs) section of the Management Program. The BMP Finder provides cross-references to standard terms, descriptions, technical guidance, and implementation considerations for NPS BMPs.
- Draft BMP Finder
PDF Word (Help downloading files)
For More Information
To find out more about the NPS Program, call 512-239-6682 or e-mail us at nps@tceq.texas.gov.
The commission requests comments from the public on the 
