Water pollution is caused when contaminants wash into streams, lakes, and wetlands or infiltrate into groundwater. Water running off paved surfaces in urban areas often carry oil, heavy metals, pet waste, and toxic chemicals from industrial and residential areas into stormdrains, and eventually, water ways. Agricultural operations often apply fertilizers, pesticides, and animal wastes, the excess of may eventually leach into groundwater or enter waterways through irrigation return flows and surface runoff. These sources of "nonpoint" pollution are considered the primary source of water quality problems nation wide.

The Water Quality Pollution Assessment and Prevention (WQPAAP) Theme Team, awarded a National Facilitation grant in 2001, is a network of Extension professionals and other educators who promote self-assessments, voluntary actions, and monitoring by private land-use managers and residents to protect and restore water quality.

This area of the CSREES National Water Quality Program will eventually introduce content that shows how Pollution Assessment and Prevention issues are being addressed across the nation.

The PNW Regional Water Quality Program provides a broad range of research-based educational materials devoted to pollution assessment and prevention. These have been compiled and published in a 4-page informational flyer. View an HTML version of the educational materials here or download the 4-page PDF version here.