Nonpoint-source pollution (NPSP) poses a special challenge to society's ability to manage its collective environmental good - especially surface and groundwater quality. Since there is no `point', such as an outfall pipe, from which the pollution is being discharged and can be measured, pollution can reach the ambient environment without being monitored. Since management of air and water polution requires the definition and enforcement of limits on discharges or the imposition of fees on those discharges, inability to measure limits our ability to manage this environmental problem. This book presents a state-of-the-art review and discussion of economists' efforts to resolve this major problem and attempts to provide a way of working around it. The book sets forth the theoretical issues, modeling, and the actual programs set up to confront this issue.

This study identifies the most cost-effective policy instruments to address agri-environmental issues in a variety of different situations.

This resource addresses the crucial issues of improving water quality and the efficiency of irrigation, presents alternative policies and shows how these can be implemented in different countries, and includes a range of case study material from various countries including Australia, China, Israel, Jordan, Spain and the USA.