Oregon’s ocean ecosystems are deeply stressed by fishing and other human activities that pose challenges to the coastal ecosystems that sustain seabirds, mammals, fish and countless other species. At the same time, changes in ocean currents—possibly linked to global warming—are exacerbating the stresses faced by species in Oregon’s waters. Scientific research shows that the creation of marine reserves and protected areas can play an important role in revitalizing ocean ecosystems. Oregon’s Marine Treasures argues that by creating a network of marine reserves and protected areas in Oregon’s coastal waters, the state can protect some of its most valuable and important offshore resources. (October 2009)

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Nearly four decades after enactment of the Clean Water Act, industrial facilities continue to dump hundreds of millions of pounds of toxic chemicals into America’s rivers, streams, lakes and ocean waters. Wasting Our Waterways quantifies the amount of toxic pollution dumped into specific waterways across the United States; underscores the threat this pollution poses to the environment, wildlife, and human health; and calls for stronger enforcement of the Clean Water Act, including restoration of Clean Water Act authority over all American waterways. (October 2009)

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Rapid population growth, excessive water consumption, water pollution, and years of drought have depleted the Southwest’s natural water reserves and put the region at greater risk of a water crisis. Without a dramatic change from business as usual, the Southwest’s water scarcity problem will only get worse as population growth and global warming impacts further exacerbate the problem. This report details existing water efficiency technologies and effective water conservation programs the six states in the Southwest could use to save as much as 5.7 million acre-feet of water per year. (August 2008)

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The excess flow of runoff pollution into Wisconsin’s waterways has led to serious water quality problems, including impaired drinking water quality, degraded wildlife habitat and uncontrolled sewage overflows. In 2002, the state took a major step toward solving these problems by adopting a set of the nation’s strongest stormwater regulations. However, flaws in the implementation of rules for construction sites allow developers to skip required runoff prevention measures. Protecting Wisconsin’s Water explores problems with the enforcement of the state’s runoff prevention rules, suggesting reforms that will re-align oversight of development activity with the ultimate goal: cleaner water for Wisconsin. (January 2007)

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The excess flow of nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, into Florida’s waterways has led to serious water quality problems—ranging from dramatic changes in the distribution of plant species in parts of the Everglades to algae blooms and fish kills in waterways such as Lake Apopka and Lake Okeechobee. But while Florida has made progress against nutrient pollution in some specific cases, the state’s overall response has been insufficient to ensure the cleanup of already polluted waterways and the prevention of future nutrient pollution problems. (Winter 2004)

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Thirty years after the passage of the Clean Water Act, Wisconsin waterways continue to be the dumping grounds for high levels of pollution. Weak enforcement of permit limits established under the Clean Water Act contribute to this pollution. Overburdened Waters: How Weak Permitting and Enforcement Have Failed to Curb High Levels of Toxic Discharge into Wisconsin’s Waterways explores some of the shortcomings of clean water enforcement in Wisconsin and suggests ways to help tackle industrial discharge of harmful pollution in the state’s waterways. (November 2004)

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