A new study published in Science Magazine highlights the vulnerability of U.S. river water to pollution due to a lack of protections under the Clean Water Act. The study reveals that about 55 percent of the water from U.S. rivers is at risk, particularly from ephemeral streams, which contribute more than 50% of the flow in downstream river systems. These temporary streams, which flow only after rainfall or snowmelt, play a significant role in water quality across the country. The Supreme Court's ruling in Sackett v. EPA last year curtailed federal protections for these waterways, exacerbating the risk of pollution. UMassAmherst research underscores the risks to these unprotected waterways.
More than half of all the water in US rivers comes from ephemeral streams that are thought to have lost protections under the Clean Water Act in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA. https://t.co/zPlQnS85WT
A new study in @ScienceMagazine warns that SCOTUS's Clean Water Act ruling exposes over half of US river flow to pollution. @UMassAmherst research highlights the risks to waterways, especially ephemeral streams unprotected by the Act. https://t.co/EFdSfNZ0Gs
Half of the water flowing through regional river basins starts in so-called ephemeral streams. Last year, the Supreme Court curtailed federal protections for these waterways. https://t.co/kUq1Xj3iON
Ephemeral streams—temporary streams that only flow after rainfall or snowmelt—contribute more than 50% of the flow in downstream river systems and likely have a major influence on water quality across the U.S., according to a new modeling study in Science. https://t.co/dWH8WLtklh https://t.co/XYohT4uuvQ
About 55 percent of the water emanating from U.S. rivers is vulnerable to pollution, due to their lack of protections under the Clean Water Act, a new study has found. https://t.co/lrkVWzgV1q