Purdue
Extension Water Quality
Publications
Publications
| Agriculture and Water Quality | Homes and Water Quality |
| Communities and Water Quality | Youth and Water Quality |
Agriculture and Water Quality
Purdue Extension works with farmers to provide current information on environmentally and economically sound production. The following are some of the most asked-for publications. Many others are also available.
-
Agriculture’s Effect on Water Quality: Key Management Issues (WQ-17) html
Risk
Assessments for Farmers
The
Indiana Farm Assessment Program is a voluntary,
confidential self-assessment of potential risks to the environment from
farmstead, animal, and field activities.
Farmstead
Indiana Farmstead Assessment (WQ-22). (This link takes you to the home page of Indiana Farmstead Assessment, where links can be found to all worksheets)Indiana Farmstead Assessment forDrinking Water Protection – Basic Questions (WQ-32) pdf
Crop Agriculture
- Field Assessment for Water Resource Protection (WQ-42) pdf
- On-Farm Soil Monitoring for Water Resource Protection (WQ-43) pdf
Vegetated Filter Strips forImproved Water Quality (AY-285) pdf - Land Application
of Municipal and Industrial Biosolids
(WQ-18) html - Pesticides and the Environment (WQ-19) html
- Pesticides and Water Quality (PPP-35) html
- Conservation Tillage and Water Quality (WQ-20) html
- What is Conservation Tillage? (CT-1) html
Animal Agriculture
- Pasture Assessment for Water Resource Protection (WQ-39) pdf
- Livestock Confinement Assessment for Water Resource Protection (WQ-40) pdf
- Animal Agriculture’s Effect on Water Quality:
- Pastures and Feedlots (WQ-7) html
- Waste Storage (WQ-8) html
- Manure Application (WQ-16) html
- Water Quality for Animals (WQ-9) html
Ponds and Fish
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Fish Kills in Indiana-Their Causes and Prevention (FNR-69) html
-
A Fish Farmer's Guide to
Understanding Water Quality (AS-503) html -
Managing Aquatic Plants in Indiana Lakes pdf
-
Indiana Fish Pond Management (DNR publication) pdf
Homeowners and Water Quality
Purdue Extension provides information and assistance to homeowners, particularly rural homeowners who may have a private well or septic system. Popular publications include:
Drinking Water Quality Concerns
- Water Testing
Laboratories (WQ-1)
html / pdf - How to Take a Water Sample (WQ-3) html
- How and Why
to Test Home Water Supplies (WQ-4)
html / pdf - Interpreting Water Test Results: Inorganic Materials (WQ-5) html
- Water Quality for Animals (WQ-9) html
- Sulfur Water Control (Rotten Egg Odor) (WQ-11) html
- Bacterial Contamination of Household Water (WQ-15) html
- Cryptosporidium:
A Waterborne Pathogen (WQ-23)
html / pdf - Lead in Drinking Water (WQ-27) pdf
- Nitrate and Indiana’s Ground Water (WQ-27) pdf
- Drinking Water Quality Reports: Your Right To Know (WQ-33) pdf
Drinking Water Treatment
Home Environment
- Home*A*Syst: An Environmental Risk-Assessment Guide for the Home (116 pages)(WQ-25, $5.00) To order a copy.
- Water Conservation in the Home (WQ-34) html / pdf
Septic Systems
- Operating and Maintaining the Home Septic System (ID-142) html / pdf
- Construction Guidelines for Conventional Septic Systems (ID-170) html
- Steps in Constructing a Mound (Bed-Type) Septic System (ID-163) html
- Steps in Constructing a Pressure Distribution Septic System (ID-164) html
- Individual
Residence Wastewater Wetland Construction in Indiana (ID-220) pdf
Septic System Failure (HENV-1-W) pdf
Increasing the Longevity of Your Septic System (HENV-2-W) pdf
High Water Tables and Septic System Perimeter Drains (RW-1-W) pdf
Communities and Water Quality
Many decisions affecting water quality are made at the community level. Purdue Extension Educators participate in community decision-making through the Plan Commission and other county or community programs. Your Purdue Extension Educator can also provide information on agencies that are working on water quality in your community or county.
Wellhead Protection for Communities
- Wellhead Protection in Indiana (WQ24) html / pdf
- Forming the
Wellhead Protection Planning Team (WQ-28)
html / pdf - A Shortcut to Wellhead Protection Delineation for Some Systems (WQ-29) html / pdf
- Choosing a Consultant to Delineate the Wellhead Protection Area (WQ-30) html / pdf
- Inventorying Potential Sources of Drinking Water Contamination (WQ-31) html / pdf
- Effective Wellhead Protection through Education (WQ-35) pdf
- Management
Options for Wellhead Protection (WQ-37)
To order a copy.
Septic systems
One of the important ways to protect your community’s water is to make sure your septic system is functioning properly. Purdue Extension publications on septic systems include:
- Small Community Wastewater Cluster Systems (ID-265-W) pdf
- Operating and Maintaining the Home Septic System (ID-142) html / pdf
- Construction Guidelines for Conventional Septic Systems (ID-170) html
- Steps in Constructing a Mound (Bed-Type) Septic System (ID-163) html
- Steps in Constructing a Pressure Distribution Septic System (ID-164) html
- Individual Residence Wastewater Wetland Construction in Indiana (ID-220) pdf
Septic System Failure (HENV-1-W) pdf
Increasing the Longevity of Your Septic System (HENV-2-W) pdf
High Water Tables and Septic System Perimeter Drains (RW-1-W) pdf
Watershed Connections: Water Resources of Indiana Counties
Land Use and Water Quality
Planning with POWER (Protecting Our Water and Environmental Resources)
- Protecting
Our Water and Environmental Resources (ID-255)
html / pdf - Nonpoint Source
Pollution: A Threat to Our Waters (ID-256)
html / pdf - Impacts of Development on Waterways (ID-257) html / pdf
- Strategies for Coping with Runoff (ID-258) html / pdf
- How to Get Started: Protecting Your Community from Polluted Runoff (ID-259) html / pdf
Water Quality Issues
Youth and Water Quality
4-H Soil and Water Conservation Project Manuals:
Indiana’s Water Riches (4-H-882) To order a copy.
Indiana Project WET (Water Education for Teachers)
To order a copy.Splish-Splash the Water Drop (WQ-100) html
The Adventures of Peter Ped: A Ped of Soil (AY-273)
To order a copy.
The Farmstead, Field, and Home Assessment Programs can be used in youth education of agriculture and water quality issues.
OtherWetlands, Regulations and You: What Every Indiana Farmer Needs to Know (FNR-171) pdf
Forestry and Water Quality: Pollution Control Practices (FNR-88) html
Criteria for Evaluating Forestry Activities in Relation to Water Quality Management (FNR-89) html
Jane Frankenberger, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University