Animas River, Colorado | Sinjin Eberle
Public lands are the birthright of every American, and access to clean, reliable water is a need that cuts through all social and political divisions. It is fundamental to life, literally.
Rivers are the single largest source of drinking water in the country, and much of that water is sourced from public lands. In the western half of the country, roughly 1 in 10 Americans depend on public lands for clean, safe drinking water.
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Cheyenne, Wyoming, gets 70% of their water from mountain ranges in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.
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Boise, Idaho, sources 30% of their water from the Boise River, which starts its life in the Sawtooth National Forest.
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Even cities that may be hundreds of miles away from these protected lands, like Los Angeles and Atlanta, rely on them for their drinking water.
It takes year-round management and stewardship to keep these rivers clean, healthy, and abundant for people and wildlife alike. The importance of managing public lands for the benefit of clean water is so fundamental, it has been a pillar of public lands management agencies’ missions since their inception over a century ago.
With important headwater streams and surface waters now under threat from misguided efforts to dispose of public lands, now is the time to show your support for public lands and the agencies that manage our water resources year-round by adding your name below!
