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Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPS) and Best Management Practices (BMP)

The Council engages in a continuous program of research and study concerning the control and prevention of water pollution. This research includes performance studies of various best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater treatment. The Council has also developed a number of resources that provide guidance on the design and operation of effective nonpoint source pollution control.

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is primarily caused by runoff from rainfall or snowmelt that picks up and carries natural and human-made pollutants and deposits them into lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Check out the NPS fact page for more information about nonpoint source pollution and what causes it.

Urban Small Sites BMP Manual - The Urban Small Sites BMP Manual provides tools to assist Twin Cities municipalities and WMOs in guiding development and redevelopment. The manual includes detailed information on 40 BMPs that make sense in an urban small-site, cold-climate setting. This manual is aimed at supporting the principles of accommodating growth while preserving the environment.