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The presence of certain contaminants in our water can lead to health issues, including gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems may be especially at risk for illness.

Too often, water quality is not suitable for agricultural uses. High salt concentrations limit the amount of water a plant can take up, resulting in high plant stress and decreased crop yields. High concentrations of metals also have negative effects on crop production.

Farmers and ranchers can reduce erosion and sedimentation by 20 to 90 percent by applying management practices that control the volume and flow rate of runoff water, keep the soil in place, and reduce soil transport.

Water quality — the suitability of water to be used to irrigate and tend animals — is very important in agriculture.

​What is the Agriculture Water Quality Act? The Kentucky General Assembly passed the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act in 1994 (KRS. 224.71-100 through 224.71-140). The goal of the act is to protect surface and groundwater resources from pollution as a result of agriculture and silviculture (forestry) activities.

Water quality describes the condition of the water, including chemical, physical, and biological characteristics, usually with respect to its suitability for a particular purpose such as drinking or swimming.

Improve Filtration In field practice can help reduce runoff, but filtering the runoff to remove sediment, chemicals, and waste can improve downstream water quality. Practices that help filter runoff include: Filter strip. Riparian forest buffer.

Poor quality water can be responsible for slow growth, poor aesthetic quality of the crop and, in some cases, can result in the gradual death of the plants. High soluble salts can directly injure roots, interfering with water and nutrient uptake. Salts can accumulate in plant leaf margins, causing burning of the edges.

Poor quality water can be responsible for slow growth, poor aesthetic quality of the crop and, in some cases, can result in the gradual death of the plants. High soluble salts can directly injure roots, interfering with water and nutrient uptake. Salts can accumulate in plant leaf margins, causing burning of the edges.