Protecting Fresh Water Resources Essay Example

human health and the environment in all aspects of American life. They rely on scientific data to mitigate environmental risks and enforce federal laws that safeguard people and their surroundings. The EPA integrates environmental protection into various U.S. policies, including those related to natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade. Their goal is to provide accurate information for effective risk management to communities, individuals, businesses, state and local governments, as well as tribal governments. Additionally, environmental protection plays a crucial role in promoting diversity, sustainability, and economic productivity within communities and ecosystems. The United States also takes a leading position in collaborating with other nations for global environmental protection. Compliance and enforcement are vital for ensuring the implementation of effective measures for environmental protection.

The primary goal is to ensure compliance with the nation's environmental laws. However, enforcement plays a crucial role in motivating regulated governments, businesses, and other companies to fulfill their environmental responsibilities. The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) within the EPA is responsible for enforcing regulations and providing assistance for compliance in areas that offer significant environmental benefits or reduce risks to human health. Instead of focusing on individual statutes, enforcement and compliance actions are organized around environmental issues and widespread patterns of non-compliance [ (The United States Environmental Protection Agency) ].

In 1968, Congress established the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (Public Law 90-542; 16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) to conserve rivers with exceptional natural, cultural, and recreational values in their natural state for present and future generations' enjoyment. This Act effectively safeguards the unique qualities of these rivers while also recognizing their potential

for appropriate use and development. It promotes river management that goes beyond political boundaries and encourages public participation in establishing goals for river protection [ (National Wild and Scenic Rivers, 2007) ]. Designation of rivers can be done by Congress or the Secretary of the Interior if specific requirements are met. Each river is managed by a federal or state agency.

The designated portions of rivers do not have to cover the entire river and can also include tributaries. For rivers administered by the federal government, the boundaries typically extend a quarter mile on each bank in the lower 48 states and a half mile on rivers outside national parks in Alaska, this is done to protect values related to the river. Rivers are categorized as wild, scenic, or recreational. Wild river areas refer to rivers or sections of rivers that do not have any dams and are usually only accessible by trail. The watersheds or shorelines of these areas are mostly untouched and the water is not polluted. These areas represent remnants of America in its primitive state.

Scenic river areas are described as rivers or sections of rivers that lack dams or other barriers, and possess predominantly untouched shorelines and watersheds. Such areas can be reached by roads in specific locations. Conversely, recreational river areas refer to rivers or sections of rivers that are easily accessible via road or railroad and may feature some development along their shores, as well as prior impoundment or diversion. The objective of the Act is to achieve a harmonious equilibrium between construction activities and the conservation of some of the country's most extraordinary free-flowing rivers.

The National System for Wild

and Scenic Rivers, which safeguards the free-flowing condition, water quality, and outstanding resource values of rivers, prohibits federal support for activities such as dam construction. This system does not impact existing water rights or the authority of states and the federal government over waters determined by established law. As of July 2011, the National System protects 12,598 miles of 203 rivers in 38 states and Puerto Rico, amounting to slightly more than one-quarter of one percent of the country's rivers. On the other hand, over 75,000 large dams have modified approximately seventeen percent or around 600,000 miles of American rivers (National Wild and Scenic Rivers, 2007).

The Freshwater Wetland

The Freshwater Wetlands Act (PDF) (129 kB), enacted in 1975, aims to preserve, protect, and conserve freshwater wetlands and their associated benefits. This is aligned with the state's overall well-being and advantageous economic, social, and agricultural advancement (The Department of Environmental Conservation, 2011).

According to the Act, wetlands are classified based on their vegetation as certain plants have a competitive advantage in waterlogged soils and serve as reliable indicators of wet conditions over time. These characteristic plants include willows and alders for wetland trees and shrubs, cattails and sedges for emergent plants, water lilies for aquatic plants, as well as sphagnum moss for bog mat vegetation (The Department of Environmental Conservation, 2011).

To qualify for protection under the Freshwater Wetlands Act, a wetland must have an area equal to or greater than 12.4 acres (5 hectares).

Smaller wetlands can be protected if they are considered to have unique local importance. Each wetland has a regulated "adjacent area" of 100 feet that also safeguards the wetland (The Department of Environmental

Conservation, 2011). Some activities are exempt from regulation, while activities that could harm wetlands are regulated. A permit is required to carry out regulated activities in a protected wetland or its adjacent area. The permit standards require minimizing and avoiding impacts on wetlands. Usually, a permit with specific conditions is granted if the proposed activity will not cause significant harm to the wetland.

If there is an impact on the wetland, a permit will only be granted if the benefits of the proposed activity outweigh the benefits lost from the wetland. Significant impacts to wetlands often require compensatory mitigation, which may involve creating or restoring wetlands to replace the lost benefits (The Department of Enviromental Conservation, 2011). The Fresh Water Conservation Program by The Nature Conservancy reminds us that while water comes from the sky, it is not guaranteed that there will always be enough to meet our needs and desires. Globally, rivers and lakes are deteriorating due to abuse and overuse, and the lands contributing to our waterways have fewer forests and grasslands for filtering and cleaning water.

The Nature Conservancy utilizes scientific knowledge and business-minded ingenuity to educate individuals on making wise decisions regarding the utilization of nature's water resources. Their efforts in safeguarding over a hundred million acres since 1951 have supported the maintenance of water cleanliness as it flows into rivers and lakes. To strike a harmonious balance in utilizing nature, the program has adopted various ingenious and practical approaches, including generating hydroelectricity from rivers while ensuring an adequate supply of fish for human consumption. Rivers and lakes serve as connectors for people, bridging state and national boundaries, encompassing urban areas, farmlands, factories,

and residential backyards [ (The Nature Conservancy, 2011) ].

The Nature Conservancy is committed to protecting freshwater ecosystems globally, including those in the United States. They have expertise in developing and executing strategies to safeguard these crucial resources. By studying the reasons for declining biodiversity in freshwater and employing scientific research, they prioritize practical solutions that benefit both nature and people. The Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) program is one of their initiatives aimed at preserving water resources (The Nature Conservancy, 2011).

The Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) program, conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), is dedicated to investigating and informing about potential health risks associated with new contaminants in drinking water. This program aligns with the Clean Water Fund's goal of safeguarding drinking water sources and MDH's mission to ensure the well-being of all Minnesotans [(Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC), 2011)]. Currently, MDH offers guidance on human health concerns related to contaminants already identified in Minnesota groundwater. However, through the CEC program, MDH takes a proactive approach towards protecting drinking water by considering contaminants found in groundwater, surface water, or soil - even those that have not been previously studied in Minnesota.

Additionally, this program provides information on how people are exposed to these contaminants, which sets it apart from MDH’s other guidance work and supplements existing work [(Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC), 2011)]. The Department of Ecology Water Program has goals to prevent and clean up water pollution, as well as assist communities in making sustainable choices that reduce and prevent water quality problems. The program also aims to provide water quality partners with technical, financial, and education assistance. The Department of Ecology generates

valuable water quality information for the public and partners [(The Department of Ecology)].

The Water Program of the Department of Ecology is responsible for issuing wastewater discharge permits for sewage treatment plants, storm water, and industrial discharges to surface and ground waters. These permits consist of strict limitations, monitoring requirements, and management practices to ensure compliance with treatment and water quality standards. Inspections and site visits are conducted every two years for approximately 25% of the 2,300 permit holders. Additionally, the program offers technical assistance and addresses violations through different methods [ (The Department of Ecology) ].

The agency offers a program that includes grants, low-interest loans, and technical assistance for local governments, state agencies, and tribes. These resources help them improve water quality by constructing, upgrading, repairing, or replacing facilities. They also provide funding for nonpoint-source control projects like watershed planning, storm water management, education, and agricultural best management practices. Additionally, the agency collaborates with other state and federal funding agencies to coordinate strategic grant and loan assistance. As mandated by the federal Clean Water Act, the agency identifies water bodies that do not meet quality standards and publishes the findings in the Water Quality Assessment (WQA).

The Department of Ecology collaborates with local interests to create TMDLs (cleanup plans) in order to decrease pollution. They also establish discharge permit conditions and nonpoint-source management plans, as well as monitor the effectiveness of the cleanup plan.

A notable example showcasing the success of these programs is the Niagara River project in New York. The Niagara River serves as a boundary between western New York State and Ontario, Canada, stretching 38 miles from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. By

the 1960s, heavy industry and chemical manufacturing activities had greatly deteriorated the river's water quality. However, significant remediation efforts have been implemented since then, leading to noticeable improvements in water quality. Consequently, New York proposed removing four contaminants from its 2008 303(d) list for both the upper and lower sections of the river.

Furthermore, another contentious issue has arisen known as the "tri-state water war" involving Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

The City of Atlanta sought a permit from the Corps of Engineers to create reservoirs on the Chattahoochee, Flint, and Coosa Rivers. These reservoirs would store an additional 529 million gallons of water a day to be kept in Lake Sidney Lanier, Atlanta's main drinking water source. The long-term plan for Atlanta included increasing withdrawals by fifty percent from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers by 2010 [ (Program Area: Water Policy and Economics, 2011) ]. This announcement by the Corps caused a dispute between Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, who are downstream neighbors.

Alabama and Florida both opposed the plan, as they believed it would negatively impact their water supply. Alabama was concerned about potential threats to industrial and population growth, as well as degraded water quality. They argued that the decrease in water flow would lead to an increase in pollutants from Atlanta that would not be diluted. Florida joined the dispute, fearing that draining more water from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers would deplete the flow into Apalachicola Bay, thereby harming their $70 million oyster industry. Similar debates are ongoing regarding the Pecos River and Rio Grande compacts involving New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico.

The sustainability of our communities in the country heavily relies on equitable allocation of

water supply, which is crucial to address various problems. The actual amount of available water is uncertain and constantly fluctuates based on weather conditions. To tackle this issue, water rights policies have been implemented by most states. These policies vary in administrative principles but ultimately determine who has the right and how much they are entitled to during water shortages [ (Program Area: Water Policy and Economics, 2011) ]. Programs Facts

The US federal government employs various measures to safeguard wetlands, such as implementing regulations like Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Additionally, they provide economic incentives like tax deductions for selling or donating wetlands to qualified organizations, as well as disincentives through the "Swamp buster" provisions of the Food Security Act. Cooperative programs and acquisition, including the establishment of national wildlife refuges, further contribute to wetland protection [ (The United States Environmental Protection Agency) ].
In addition to federal measures, several states have enacted laws to govern wetland activities. Furthermore, certain counties and towns have adopted local ordinances or altered development regulations to safeguard wetlands. Coastal states have made significant progress in reducing coastal wetland losses by implementing protective legislation. While there are few laws directly addressing activities in inland wetlands, some states and local governments offer non-regulatory programs to aid in their preservation [ (The United States Environmental Protection Agency) ].

While regulations, economic incentives, and acquisition programs are important for conserving our remaining wetlands, they are not enough on their own. Collaborative efforts with states, local governments, and private citizens, as well as public education initiatives, are essential to protect wetlands and promote their functions and values. Despite a decrease in the rate

of wetland loss, there is still much work to be done according to The United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Access to clean drinking water is vital for sustaining life; however, freshwater ecosystems offer more than just that. They not only support our crops and provide fish but also bring happiness by illuminating our homes.

However, human activities are causing harm to rivers and lakes, resulting in a decrease in their ability to support people, plants, and animals. It is estimated that more than two-thirds of the global population could face water shortages by 2025. To prevent this situation, it is crucial to strike a better balance between our diverse needs and preserve nature's capacity to cater for future generations (The Nature Conservancy, 2011).

References:
- Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC). (2011). Retrieved November 5, 2011, from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/risk/guidance/dwec/index.html
- The Department of Ecology. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2011, from http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/wqhome.tml
- The Department of Environmental Conservation. (2011). Retrieved October 23, 2011, from http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4937.html
- National Wild and Scenic Rivers. (2007). Retrieved October 23, 2011, from http://www.rivers.gov

The Nature Conservancy provides information about various topics through the links below. The first link directs to their website which offers details on their initiatives related to habitats. This information was accessed on October 22nd , 2011 at http://www.nature.org/?ourinitiatives/?habitats/?index.htm . The second link pertains to water policy and economics and can be found on Texas A University's Stormwater Quality Information System websiteThe first link, retrieved on December 4, 2011 from http://srwqis.tamu.edu/?program-information/?focus-areas/?water-policy-and-economics, provides information about water policy and economics. The second link, accessed at http://www.epa.gov/?aboutepa/?history/, is from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's website and contains information about its history. It was retrieved on November 4, 2011.