Wetlands and streams are a vital part of our water system. They feed into and clean rivers and lakes throughout the country.  The Mississippi and Colorado rivers, San Francisco and Chesapeake Bays and every other body of water relies on small streams and wetlands across the United States. Wetlands also provide vital flood protection for cities, towns, and farmland - an acre of wetland can hold nearly 1 million gallons of floodwaters.

Wetlands across this country are at risk because of gaps in the Clean Water Act and policy decisions made over the past 10 years.  Recently the Army Corps and the EPA have been working to close these gaps. The Barasso - Heller amendment would have stopped this work. We all live downstream and this Dirty Water amendment not only puts wetlands and streams at risk, but the rivers, lakes, and watersheds make our lives possible.