Issues: Water

• Drinking Water
• Water Pollution
• Water Conservation & Restoration

In Depth Articles

Fish Out of Water
Policy Papers

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.

New York State's Strained Ocean Resources
Fact Sheet

Healthy, diverse ocean ecosystems are an important part of New York's coastal heritage and economic well-being. Yet these ocean systems are severely strained from pollution, destruction of productive marine habitat, and overfishing.

Global Warming in the West
Index

Recent scientific research indicates that global warming will have profound economic, hydrologic and environmental impacts on the American West. Agriculture, wildlife, the recreation industry and public health will all suffer from decreasing water supplies, less hydropower and more wildfires and flooding. These effects can be mitigated, however, by putting global warming solutions to work today. Cleaner vehicles and cleaner energy will help cut harmful global warming emissions and reduce the negative impacts of global warming on the U.S. West.

Energy Down the Drain
Report

In the western United States, there is a close connection between water and power resources. Water utilities use large amounts of energy to treat and deliver water, and even after utilities deliver water, consumers burn more energy to heat, cool and use it. This August 2004 report from NRDC and the Pacific Institute shows how water planners in California have largely failed to consider the energy implications of their decisions, and suggests a model for how policymakers can calculate the amount of energy consumed in water use. Integrating energy use into water planning can save money, reduce waste, protect our environment and strengthen our economy.

Cape May to Montauk: A Coastal Protection Report Card
Report

The Atlantic coastlines of New York and New Jersey are imperiled today by widespread pollution and unchecked coastal development. This December 2002 NRDC study grades 169 localities and a half-dozen state and federal agencies for their effectiveness at controlling pollution and managing coastal sprawl.

Wetlands at Risk: Imperiled Treasures
Report

America's wetlands, which provide critical wildlife habitat as well as pollution and flood control, are drained, filled and polluted at an alarming rate. This July 2002 report from NRDC and the National Wildlife Federation looks at the potentially damaging consequences of a January 2001 Supreme Court decision regarding "isolated wetlands," and illustrates the vital role these areas play in ecosystems across the United States.

Drawdown: Groundwater Mining on Black Mesa
Report

For more than 40 years, Peabody Western Coal Company has been draining billions of gallons of potable, pristine groundwater from an aquifer under the Black Mesa plateau in Arizona -- water that serves as the primary source of drinking water for the area’s Hopi and Navajo residents. In 2000, NRDC published an assessment of the damage caused by this groundwater mining and determined that the Navajo aquifer showed signs of serious decline after years of pumping by Peabody. This 2006 update to the original report concludes that material damage is still present in Black Mesa and that the aquifer shows signs of continuing damage and deterioration. NRDC also considers the role of the federal government in addressing the damage and recommends actions that would help conserve Black Mesa's water supply.

See the NRDC Policy Solutions section for more expert analysis of environmental issues. You may also wish to view the working materials in the NRDC Document Bank