National Management Measures To Protect And Restore Wetlands And Riparian Areas For The Abatement Of Nonpoint Source Pollution, Draft.
The nation's aquatic resources are among its most valuable assets. Although environmental protection programs in the United States have successfully improved water quality during the past 30 years, many challenges remain. Significant strides have been made in reducing the impacts of discrete pollutant sources, but aquatic ecosystems remain impaired, primarily because of complex pollution problems caused by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution.
Wetlands and riparian areas have been determined to play a significant role in managing the adverse water quality impacts associated with NPS pollution, and they help decrease the need for costly storm water and flood protection facilities. In addition, in their natural condition they provide habitat for feeding, nesting, cover, and breeding to many species of birds, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.
|Office of Water|
|No suboffice specified|
|No division specified|