Final answer:
The nonpoint source of water pollution in the provided options is copper, zinc, and arsenic runoff from abandoned mines. This occurs as runoff accumulates pollutants over large areas and deposits them into water bodies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Copper, zinc, and arsenic runoff from abandoned mines. This is an example of nonpoint source pollution, as it does not come from a single identifiable source but rather from diffuse, large areas such as abandoned mine sites.Nonpoint source pollution refers to contamination that does not come from a single point source, but instead accumulates from a larger area. In this case, the runoff from abandoned mines carries pollutants like copper, zinc, and arsenic, which can enter surface water bodies and groundwater.
Nonpoint source pollution is a form of water contamination that occurs when small amounts of pollutants accumulate from a widespread area, rather than from a specific, single point. This type of pollution typically involves runoff that captures harmful substances from the land's surface, which then makes its way into water bodies. Significant contributors to nonpoint source pollution include agricultural activities, urban runoff, and as the correct answer indicates, metals like copper, zinc, and arsenic from mining operations. The contaminants are picked up by rainwater or melted snow moving over and infiltrating the ground, eventually leading to the pollution of rivers, lakes, and groundwater.