Issues: Water

All Documents in Water Tagged rivers

Clearing the Waters
From the Chesapeake to California, NRDC is fighting to restore America’s threatened waterways

Overview
The United States has made significant progress cleaning up the nation's waterways since Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, but much more remains to be done. Although some of the most obvious signs of contamination have disappeared, other sources of pollution persist, and water resources are frequently overtaxed, particularly in the West.
Missing Protection
Polluting the Mississippi River Basin's Small Streams and Wetlands

Report
Our nation's rivers, streams, and small bodies of water -- which have long been protected by the Clean Water Act -- are now in danger because of a series of misguided court decisions. Recent interpretations of the law suggest that many waters historically protected from pollution can now be polluted or destroyed without a permitting process to limit the environmental impact of discharges into the waters. This October 2008 issue paper discusses the particular danger of this change in interpretation in relation to the problem of nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River Basin.
Fish Out of Water
Issue Paper
In April 2008, state and federal agencies took the unprecedented step of completely closing the commercial fishery for Chinook salmon. And California now faces the possibility of becoming a state where salmon fishing is a thing of the past and where wild, locally caught California salmon permanently vanishes from restaurant menus and supermarkets. This July 2008 issue paper examines the operation of water management projects in the state as one of the most significant -- and reversible -- causes of the fishery collapse and provides comprehensive policy recommendations for restoring and sustaining this treasured resource.
Restoring the San Joaquin River
News
In the 1940s, a giant dam nearly killed California's San Joaquin River and its legendary salmon run. A court ruling could bring the river back to life, restoring the salmon fishery, providing clean irrigation water for farms and improving drinking water quality for millions of Californians.

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NRDC experts write about water efficiency, green infrastructure and climate on the NRDC blog.


Recent Water Posts

California's Co-Equal Goals for the Delta
posted by Doug Obegi, 11/12/09
California Takes a Big Step Forward in Improving Water Efficiency
posted by Doug Obegi, 11/11/09
EPA unveils new federal strategy for cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay
posted by Nancy Stoner, 11/9/09

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