Agricultural runoff from many fields into a watershed is an example of what type of pollution source?

• A. Non-point Source
• B. Point Source
• C. Local Source
• D. Direct Source

Answer: (A)

The main idea is distinguishing pollution sources by how concentrated they are. Non-point pollution means the pollutants come from many places across a landscape and aren’t released from one identifiable outlet. Agricultural runoff fits this because rainwater washes nutrients, sediments, and pesticides from numerous fields, roads, and soils into a watershed. Since there isn’t a single pipe or stack discharging this pollution at one spot, but rather many diffuse sources over a large area, it’s classified as non-point source pollution.

In contrast, a point source would be something like a single pipe or outlet releasing pollutants directly into a stream. The terms local or direct aren’t standard categories here, and they don’t describe the diffuse, multi-location nature of runoff.