Name two practices that reduce pesticide runoff into water sources?

• A. Establish vegetation buffers or setbacks.
• B. Avoid application before heavy rain.
• C. Avoid applying on saturated soils.
• D. Establish vegetation buffers or setbacks and avoid application before heavy rain or on saturated soils.

Answer: (D)

Focus on preventing both transport and timing issues that lead to runoff. Establishing vegetation buffers or setbacks creates a physical barrier and filtering zone that slows, captures, and filters runoff before it reaches water bodies, reducing pesticides that can be carried away. Pairing that with avoiding application before heavy rain or on saturated soils tackles two critical conditions that drive runoff: rainfall events push pesticides off surfaces, and saturated soils have little to no capacity to absorb more water, increasing surface runoff. Together, these two practices address how pesticides move with water and when they are most at risk of reaching water sources, making this combination the most effective choice.