Three-quarters of Illinois land is farmland. Beyond growing food, fiber, and fuel, agricultural lands provide places for rainwater to absorb. Crops take up some of the rainfall, and the rest soaks into the soil.
Some rainwater will flow from the field into the nearest streams, rivers, and lakes, especially if it has rained so heavily that the soil can’t absorb it fast enough. When water leaves farm fields and flows onto other properties or in creeks, it is called “runoff.”
When water runs off of fields, it carries loose soil (erosion) and chemicals, like fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals get into the creeks, rivers, and lakes and can kill fish and the wildlife that eat those fish. It can also cause toxins to build up in the water, harming humans.
The good news is that there are things farmers can do (and are doing) to help. Using cover crops during the winter protects the soil when there are no crops on the fields. Other practices like pollinator habitat (i.e. buffer strips), grassed waterways, and small basins can slow down and absorb water while also keeping soils healthy.
Federal Conservation and Clean Water Programs
Federal conservation and clean water programs are critical for southern Illinois farms, waters, and communities.
Long-standing programs like Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and Nonpoint Source Pollution Grants under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act have helped thousands of southern Illinois farmers and landowners.
Without these programs, and many others like them, many family farms may find it too costly to protect their soil and water resources. As a result, more chemicals and soil will make their way into streams, lakes, wells, and rivers, causing health issues for wildlife and humans.