"Water"

In 2008-2009, the EPA sampled 2,000 streams and rivers around the United States.  After a few years of analyzing and compiling the data they released a National Rivers and Stream Assessment guide that was the topic of an article found on Treehugger.com.  The results of the sampling did not provide the best of news.  According the EPA’s findings only 21% of the rivers and streams were considered in “good” health, 23% were considered “fair” and 55% were considered poor.  The condition of the nations vast network of Rivers, lakes, and coastal waters depends on the streams in which they begin.  The study’s findings show that these headwaters are under significant pressures, which threaten our drinking water, recreational activities, and our economy as a whole.

            The two main contributors to the degraded water systems around the country are eutrophication from excess nutrients and fertilizers and poor land development which causes flooding and erosion.  Both of these contributors are topics I have learned about in various classes such as Water Science and Wildlife Ecology and Management.  It really hits home to realize that these problems have caused half of our stream and river systems to become seriously degraded.  It is sad to think that many of our recreational activities and aquatic wildlife could fail to exist due to human activities and interventions.  I think this article is proof that we as humans hold the responsibility to protect our valuable resources so that life as we know it can continue to exist.  All too often it seems that we forget how our water on earth literally is “Life in every drop”.

Matt O’Nele