Maintaining unsprayed buffer zones around sinkholes helps protect groundwater from pesticide contamination.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not always effective
• D. Only with aerial applications

Answer: (A)

Protecting groundwater from pesticide contamination hinges on stopping surface pesticides from reaching pathways that connect to groundwater. Sinkholes are direct conduits to groundwater in many areas, so keeping unsprayed buffer zones around them creates a protective barrier. This barrier helps in several ways: it reduces spray drift that could land directly on or near the sinkhole, it intercepts and slows or filters runoff that might carry pesticide residues into the opening, and it gives time and soil to absorb or degrade some contaminants before they can move deeper.

This approach is beneficial regardless of how pesticides are applied, because both aerial and ground applications can reach a sinkhole through drift, runoff, or infiltration. While no measure can guarantee zero risk under every condition, maintaining these unsprayed buffers around sinkholes is a practical and effective practice to lower the chance of groundwater contamination in vulnerable areas.