What practice helps protect water resources when pesticides are used on turf near irrigation features?

• A. Spray directly into water to flush pests.
• B. Maintain buffer zones and follow label restrictions.
• C. Ignore buffer zones if soil is dry.
• D. Use only dry formulations.

Answer: (B)

Protecting water resources when applying pesticides near irrigation features comes from keeping pesticides away from water through regulatory buffer areas and following the product label. Buffer zones are the required distances between the application site and any water body or irrigation intake, built to catch drift and reduce runoff before it can reach water. The label contains all the specific instructions for safe use—recommended drift-reduction measures, exact application rates, timing restrictions, and any prohibitions related to proximity to water or irrigation. Adhering to these guidelines in turf areas adjacent to irrigation features directly minimizes the risk that pesticides will reach water bodies or irrigation systems. Using only dry formulations or attempting to spray directly into water does not provide the same level of protection and can still lead to contamination, while ignoring buffer zones is unsafe.