Clean fresh water supplies depend on healthy watersheds
Rivers and Streams Plains, Savannahs, Prairies Mountains and Glaciers Forests Wetlands Estuaries
Values and Services
Watershed resources serve human and natural processes.
eg: water, timber, fish & wildlife, minerals sustenance
Flood Storage and Erosion Control Biodiversity, Riverine Habitats and Corridors Pollution Mitigation (natural sequestration and filtration) Agriculture, Industry, Transportation and Commerce Recreation, Tourism, Inspiration
Threats
Pollution: industrial, nuclear, agricultural or urban waste Infrastructure: dams, levees, roads, bridges, dredging, channels Transportation: ecosystem disruption, pollution and habitat fragmentation Climate Change: floods, droughts, wildfires, sea level rise, salt water intrusion Land Use Abuse by urbanization, sprawl, farming, ranching Resource Extraction: water, timber, minerals, fish… Invasive Species and Monocultures Aquaculture & Over-fishing
Solutions
Education via literature, visual arts, signage…. Citizen Stewardship via stream monitoring, river cleanups, etc…. Dam Removal, Diversions, Flood Plain Restoration, Reforestation Restoration & Preservation of Open Space and Riparian Corridors Governmental Regulations, Clean Air and Water Acts, EPA…. Renewable Energies to replace hydro and fossil fuel energy Green Infrastructure (pervious paving, green roofs…. Transboundary Treaties and Cooperation Consumption and Waste Reduction Sanitation and Water Infrastructure Recycled Water and Desalination Technology and Science