Public Domain Picture: Streams and Wetlands are Vital to Health of our Waterways

The health of our nation’s rivers, lakes, bays and coastal waters depends on the vast network of streams and wetlands where they begin. About 60 percent of stream miles in the continental U.S only flow seasonally or after rain. Approximately 20 percent of the wetlands (20 million acres) in the continental U.S. are not visibly connected to other waterways but have critical groundwater connections and provide many other benefits. These streams and wetlands feed downstream waters, trap floodwaters, recharge groundwater supplies, remove pollution, and provide fish and wildlife habitat. Streams and wetlands are also economic drivers because of their key role in fishing, hunting, agriculture and recreation. So these streams and wetlands form the very foundation of our nation’s water resources and are absolutely vital to the health of waterways and communities that are downstream. Because they are often small, unnamed, not on maps and not always wet, these streams and wetlands are very vulnerable. With each mile of stream and acre of wetland destroyed, we are losing critical resources that we depend on. Photo by Eric Vance, U.S. EPA

556

4

May 12, 2014