A study has highlighted the importance of small streams and the consequences of stripping these waterways of federal protection, as an article published by The New York Times detailed.
What's happening?
Last year, the Supreme Court limited the government's capacity to restrict pollution in small streams that spend the majority of the year dry. In a 5 to 4 vote in May of 2023, the Supreme Court limited the reach of the Clean Water Act, effectively curtailing federal protection for about 4.9 million miles of streams that flow only when it rains, per reports by the New York Times.
However, new research reveals that these waterways are more important than previously believed.
Published in the journal Science, the study highlighted how small streams impact large bodies of water. The researchers estimate that 55% of the water flowing out of the U.S.'s river basins are traceable back to millions of ephemeral streams ― temporary streams that flow only as a result of rain or snow melt.
By cutting back on the federal government's ability to protect these small streams from pollution, the Supreme Court's ruling also threatens larger bodies of water.
"These temporary streams are often overlooked since they may look like unremarkable dry ditches for much of the year," Jud Harvey, a senior research hydrologist for the United States Geological Survey, told the New York Times. "But when it rains, these streams convey a substantial amount of water."
Why is small stream protection important?
While main bodies of water, such as the Hudson River, are more actively regulated, smaller bodies of water, like ephemeral streams, are now more vulnerable to pollution due to the Supreme Court's ruling.
As a result, polluted water from ephemeral streams can flow into large bodies of water, threatening the fragile ecosystems of these aquatic environments. By restricting waterway protection under the Clean Water Act, the new ruling ultimately hinders progress toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
What's being done about restricted small stream protection?
Scientists are studying ephemeral streams to underscore their connection to larger bodies of water. New research findings, such as the study published in Science, provide evidence that protecting ephemeral streams has far-reaching effects and is necessary for preserving aquatic ecosystems.
Environmental activists are also advocating for more wide-reaching protection of waterways under the Clean Water Act.
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