I was handed a well-used copy of the Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual on my first day at River Network. My supervisor, Katherine Baer, told me to keep it close by as I would use it often. She was right. Today, that copy is riddled with my own notes and sits beside my copy of River Network’s 3rd edition of the Manual, published in 2022.

For 25 years, our Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual has been a steadfast source of guidance, illuminating the way through political turbulence and setbacks, as well as leaps in progress, toward the water protections we need and deserve. The knowledge and connections gained through River Network trainings – whether in person, virtual, or through the well-worn pages of the Manual – elevate its impact by helping advocates become stronger champions for their waters. Today, as the team at River Network grapples with devastating cuts proposed for our environmental protections and institutions, I’m reminded why upholding and strengthening the Clean Water Act is so important. 

Since the release of this most recent edition of the Manual, nearly 800 advocates have been trained on the Act, its uses, and how community action can drive better protections for rivers and streams. That’s 12,800 informed clean water advocates over the Manual’s lifetime! 

“This training was eye-opening,” shared one participant. “There’s so much we can do to advocate for our waterways. I feel more confident in my job as an advocate because I have a better understanding of the Clean Water Act.” 

This sentiment echoes the experiences of hundreds of advocates who participated in Clean Water Act trainings over the last few years. We hit the road, from Alabama to Wisconsin, to meet with and train advocates on the challenges of our time and strategies for action through the Act.

Our first stop was Alabama Water Rally, where we partnered with local experts to run a workshop on Clean Water Act pollution permits, water equity standards, and citizen enforcement of the Act. Participants reviewed their local water quality standards, dissected a pollution permit, and identified actionable next steps to reduce pollution.

The focus at our Pennsylvania workshops was community science: sharing data and knowledge with state environmental agencies and participating in the State Integrated Water Quality Assessment Report through public comments. Several attendees submitted valuable water quality data to the Department of Environmental Protection, providing information on bacteria levels in areas where river recreation often occurs.

In Wisconsin, we collaborated with River Alliance of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Lakes, and Midwest Environmental Advocates to deliver a state-specific training series. We dove into Wisconsin’s unique permitting programs and wetland regulations, and advocates connected with partners about how the Sackett v. EPA ruling could affect state law. 

Learning went beyond in-person trainings, too. When Hana Katz first joined the Delaware River Basin Clean Water Act cohort – a group of advocates moving through the new online learning platform – she was eager to learn how to protect her local waterways. What she didn’t expect was the profound impact it would have on her advocacy and the ripple effect it would create.  

“River Network has created this beautiful online training platform for the Clean Water Act,” Hana says in the episode. “I said, ‘Hey everyone at ANJEC, I just finished this awesome training series, and I’d like to see if we can bring environmental commissioners into the fold.’” Listen to Hana share this story on the At the Water Table podcast.

The advocates we’ve trained across the country – from community scientists in Pennsylvania to tribal leaders in Arizona – are rising to protect their rivers and ensure clean water for all. They’re organizing, advocating, and holding polluters accountable. And, like the overwhelming majority of voters, they understand that healthy rivers and strong environmental protections are essential for their communities to thrive.

This network proves time and again that, despite setbacks, we can drive progress forward and push back against harmful policies. The Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual puts power directly into the hands of advocates, giving them the knowledge and tools to ensure their waters and communities are protected. 

River Network is proud to connect passionate water advocates with the tools, resources, and partnerships that make change. As I look to the road ahead, one thing I carry with me is gratitude. I am so grateful to be part of a network of passionate, ever-forward, river and justice advocates working to protect people, not polluters. 

You, too, can join this movement. The self-paced Clean Water Act training series is available and free, and the Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual will always be yours. Bookmark or print yourself a copy, scribble in the margins, drip coffee between pages, and keep it close by. It may be a long road ahead, but River Network is here to walk it alongside you.  

If you’ve ever wondered about the quality of the drinking water coming out of your tap, you’re not alone. If everything is as it should be, the water will likely be safe to drink. Yet, this isn’t always the case. While drinking water systems are required to test that contaminant levels are below specific thresholds before their drinking water is distributed, contaminants that enter after, such as through aging pipes, infrastructure, and fixtures, offer a more difficult challenge to tackle. 

So, here’s a quick recap of the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). The 1986 amendment to the Safe Drinking Water Act (which is now celebrating its 50th anniversary) banned the installation of lead pipes for the delivery of drinking water. Later in 1991, the EPA published the LCR and set a maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) of 0 parts per billion (ppb) for lead in drinking water. Research has shown that no level of lead in drinking water is safe; exposure can cause developmental delays, premature birth, decreased kidney functions, and more.

Rob Moore, principal of Scioto Analysis and co-author of a cost-benefit analysis of removing Ohio’s lead service lines, explains that “[lead] exposure from service lines has been found to lead to fatal heart disease, IQ loss, infant death, depression, coronary heart disease, anemia, dementia, and ADHD.” Since the original LCR’s publication, updates and new regulations reflect gradual changes to reporting requirements and public education, among other improvements. 

What’s New? Recent Changes to the LCR 

Most recently, in October 2024, the EPA under the Biden-Harris administration issued the final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). The rule reduces the current action level (the contamination level at which remedial actions must be taken) from 15µg/L to 10µg/L. Importantly, it requires all lead service lines for most water systems to be replaced within 10 years. 

It also requires water systems to do the following: 

• Conduct inventories to locate existing lead pipes,
• Follow best practices for sampling water at taps,
• Distribute water filters under certain circumstances, and
• Communicate more clearly with the public.

These lower thresholds for action and stricter standards may help mitigate adverse health effects from consuming lead in drinking water. To date, it is the strongest rule related to lead in drinking water that the EPA has ever released. 

What Concerns Exist?

While many have praised the improvements made in this rule (for example, see this press release by Earthjustice), there is still work to be done to protect people’s health. One potential issue is that water systems could argue that they don’t have to replace lead pipes they deem outside of their control. Similarly, for renters, state laws need to clarify who can give approval for the removal of lead pipes on a property, especially in situations where a landlord is unavailable or hard to reach. Partial lead service line replacements could also occur, in which the line pipe is replaced up to the point it enters a home, and then it would be someone else’s responsibility to replace—presumably, the homeowner. 

An overarching concern with these examples is the question of who exactly pays for the pipe replacements. The LCRI does not require that water systems pay for the full replacement of the service line. Erik Olson, an expert on lead in drinking water with NRDC, wrote in further detail on the various pros and cons of the new rule. Regarding the distribution of costs, he explains,

“[this] raises environmental justice concerns because low-income homeowners are often unable to afford to pay for lead pipe removal, and landlords may refuse to do so […] too often, lower-income people will continue to drink water contaminated by lead pipes.”

Similarly, American Water Works Association (AWWA) noted in their LCRI press release that they are concerned consumers will shoulder replacement costs through higher bills. The EPA estimates that lead pipe removals will benefit communities at a rate of up to 13 times greater than the annual cost. 

Meanwhile, another difficulty arises with school-aged children, who are especially vulnerable to the health impacts of lead, as no actions are required by the rule to mitigate exposure to lead in drinking water for schools and childcare centers. Water systems must reach out to these facilities if testing is available to them, but they have 5 years to complete 100% outreach, approximately 20% per year. No requirements exist to share sampling results with parents or teachers, either. A recent article by Environment North Carolina also points out that interior plumbing and fixtures, like drinking water fountains, play an outsized role in lead contamination. Currently, there is a total lack of federal regulations  addressing these additional, perhaps larger, lead contamination sources. 

Where We Stand

Despite its flaws, the LCRI is a strong step forward to protecting everyone’s health and wellbeing. In response to the final rule, River Network’s Drinking Water team made the following statement: “For decades, communities across the country have grappled with the legacy of lead pipes and the public health impacts they impose. We know that there’s no safe level of lead, and the improvements to the Lead and Copper Rule will move us towards a future where drinking water is safe for all. By ensuring most utilities replace their lead service lines within ten years, we have a more concrete timeline to improve drinking water quality. In the interim, vulnerable populations, such as children, still need additional protections to ensure their safety.” 

As we move into the next presidential administration, along with a new congressional makeup, more changes to the current administration’s LCRI may occur before its full implementation may begin. However, River Network is committed to long-term advocacy, and to you. We believe in clean, safe, and affordable drinking water for all, along with supporting our network of members in their own efforts to promote water equity.  

If you’re interested in learning more about the Lead and Copper Rule, the Safe Drinking Water Act, or simply how to voice your own drinking water needs, please check out our Drinking Water Guide, which now includes a self-paced training and shareable fact sheets. 

Federal Response and Monetary Assistance Post-Hurricane Helene and Milton

President Joe Biden declared Hurricane Milton a major disaster in Florida and Hurricane Helene a major disaster in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida. While this designation opens up federal assistance to survivors of these disasters, understanding the types of assistance available can be challenging, especially at a time of acute need and misinformation. River Network is working to compile resources to dispel misinformation and help communities impacted by federally declared disasters navigate opportunities for assistance. It’s our hope that this can be a living resource that is continually added to and refined for any future federally declared disasters.

A Note About Insurance

Do not wait to submit insurance claims. While you can still apply for FEMA assistance before submitting insurance claims, if you get FEMA assistance and your insurance or other sources cover the same loss, you may be required to return some or all of the FEMA assistance you received.

Additional Resources

• Hurricane Rumor Response – FEMA
• I Applied for Assistance. What’s Next? – FEMA
• A Brief Overview of FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program – FEMA
• Hurricane Helene: Resources for Response & Recovery – American Flood Coalition
• In the Eye of the Storm – NAACP 
• How to Prepare for Natural Disasters – Urban Waters Learning Network

The data now show that, combined, Millennials and Generation X represent over 70% of the current US workforce and are vying for leadership positions as their careers advance. For Gen Z (2001-2020), they are challenging the status quo by naturally and inherently balancing their careers with their personal lives while pushing many organizations to adopt new technologies and social media platforms.

These generations of new leaders are key for a future of healthy rivers and clean water for all. They’re the folks inheriting the current and coming challenges associated with climate change; they’re the leaders who will advocate for their communities through a second Trump Administration. Each generation has been shaped by a unique set of world and national events and political landscapes, which influence how they approach their lives both at work and at home.

Gen Z: Skill Development in Community

For the past three years, we’ve worked with the Chesapeake Bay Trust to provide professional and leadership development training to 55 Chesapeake Bay Conservation & Climate Corps members. Geared towards 18- to 26-year-olds, we gather Corps members for four virtual sessions and a day-long, in-person meeting where they learn about finding the right job that aligns with their values.

This cohort model allows individuals to build relationships, share in their learnings together, and, we hope, build a community that will last beyond the Corp program. Made up of “Gen Z,” these aspiring environmental and conservation leaders had their formative years defined by a recession, a pandemic, and growing political polarization. Their mental health and world view have been significantly influenced by social media and smart phones. As a result in they’re pushing back against many of the social and workplace norms set by previous generations, and within a white-dominant culture framework. To equip them with the “soft skills” of leadership, River Network focuses our trainings on:

• Highlighting the importance of self-care and boundary setting early in their careers.
• Encouraging them to center and strengthen their emotional intelligence competencies, especially as it relates to giving and receiving feedback.
• Identifying and applying for the job that aligns with their values and goals.
• Developing the skill set to serve as a mentor in the future.

In the fall of 2024, we expanded this cohort to include the participating Corps members’ mentors and supervisors. Focused on similar topics and trainings provided to the Corps, bringing the supervisors and mentors into the conversation (mainly Millennials with some Gen X and Baby Boomers thrown in), will bring forward cross generational knowledge and insights.

Gen X and Millennials: Supporting Change in Community

As we launched our first Executive Director cohort in the fall of 2023, we learned similar generational dynamics were a significant piece of what’s driving a changing landscape across organizational cultures. The goal of the cohort was to create a community of Directors that could lean on one another for expertise, comradery, and knowledge sharing. Together, the 18 cohort members explored how having different generations in the workplace can be challenging, while also changing how we do our work; how their organizations can enhance their fundraising efforts; and finally, how they can serve as an example to their teams by centering their own self-care.

The nine months we spent working with these directors showed River Network how valuable it is to create spaces and places for leaders (or those who aspire to lead) to meet one another, grow together, and lead by example for those who will follow them. We also recognize that leaders are busy: schedules don’t always allow for longer trainings followed by discussion.

As we look towards expanding our cohorts and peer learning networks, we’ll be making some key changes to how we build community, create and share resources, and convene leaders from across the country. The model of spending an in-depth week together, only to never connect again is out. In, is a hybrid approach that provides as many touchpoints as possible, both in-person and virtual. We’re building community, not offering one-off trainings.

Working with and across the five generations currently in the workforce has helped River Network explore changing how we build community, create and share resources, and convene more leaders across the country. As your organization experiences changes in the generational make-up of your teams, keep in the mind the following:

• Provide more opportunities to for your team to learn from their colleagues, especially allow for teams to share their different viewpoints and ideas across generations;
• Conflict is created by the distance between expectations and reality. Encourage your teams to be explicit about their expectations and current life experiences that may impact how they show up in the workplace;
• We all belong to a generation: for some, the generalizations fit perfectly; for others, not at all; for the rest, a little of both. The key is to show up with curiosity and a desire to learn from one another. We all have stories to share.

Looking Ahead

It’s people, networked together, who bring about the changes we need to protect our rivers and waters. Connecting local water leaders, from ALL generations, and giving each group the specific support they need is foundational to River Network’s mission. As the environmental movement prepares for monumental changes at the local, State, and Federal levels, building a community of leaders who have the tools and support for success are more important than ever. Stay tuned in 2025 as we:

• Explore opening cohorts in Western states and based on needs and interests related to organizational and leadership development topics.
• Create new resources for leaders, including a combination of pre-recorded online learning sessions, followed by “live” convenings that will encourage discussion and sharing of observations and learnings. Think of your favorite book club, focused on what you need to succeed as a leader, and facilitated by expert River Network staff!
• Offer an expanded set of tools specific to Executive Directors, Boards and Board Chairs, and volunteer-run organizations.

River Network’s Organizational and Leadership Development team will also continue offering one on one support as our schedules allow. This includes strategic planning or workplanning support, Executive Director and/or Board Chair coaching, and team building exercises. Organizations or leaders interested in contracting River Network with these services should contact our Organizational and Leadership Development team.

No matter your role in advocating for rivers and water, you are not alone. The national network, and the courageous and creative leaders within it are here for you. Together, and across generations, we will continue creating a future of clean water and healthy rivers, for all.

Hurricane Helene has wrecked havoc in several southeastern states, and Hurricane Milton is barreling towards Florida. These latest climate disasters have left a devastating trail of destruction, leaving many communities without power, cell service, and running water. Our hearts go out to all those affected, including our River Network staff in Asheville, North Carolina, and in Florida, who are thankfully safe amidst the widespread flooding.

These events serve as a stark reminder of the critical importance of proactive planning and the urgent need to build resilient communities. This blog is a work-in-progress to provide timely resources related to flooding impacts and drinking water safety. 

Flooding Can Make Water Unsafe to Drink

Heavy rainfall can make well water unsafe to drink. If you think flooding has impacted your well water, use bottled water. Do not use water from a flooded well until it has been tested. If the well was flooded and underwater, do not turn on the pump until you are sure the electrical system is completely dried out. Pumps need to be cleaned and lubricated if they’ve been covered by flood water and sediment.  

If you get your water from a public water system and are under a boil water advisory, boil water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and washing any areas of the skin that have been cut or injured.

Waterways affected by flooding may also be unsafe to contact – East Tennessee surface waters may be contaminated by wastewater treatment plants that were compromised, for example. Floodwaters may bring contamination from other industries, farmland, and power plants, and standing water can increase the presence of mold and insects, like mosquitoes, that can carry diseases.

Jump to relevant sections:

How to Assess Your Well Water for Contamination

Boiling or Disinfecting Your Water

Rapid Drinking Water Testing Options & State Agency Resources

• Tennessee
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Florida
• Georgia
• Virginia

Mutual Aid and Local Non-Profits Providing Relief Assistance

NCDHHS Urges Safe Water Usage following Hurricane Helene

– press release from 10/1 includes the following: 

Ensure Well Water is Safe

“If extensive flooding has occurred, do not drink well water. Listen to your local health authorities for advice on using well water for showering and bathing. Use water reserves, bottled water or boiled water until your well water has been tested and deemed safe for use. 

After a flood, the following steps can help ensure your well is safe for use:  

• Do not turn on the electricity to your pump until flood waters recede. 
• Contact a driller if you think your well will need service immediately after the flood. Find a list of certified well contractors. 
• If you haven’t already, find a nearby water testing lab to obtain sample collection bottles and instructions for bacterial contamination. You cannot see, taste or smell bacterial contamination in your well. The NC State Laboratory of Public Health provides free well water sampling kits and testing, and often, your local health department can test your water. If there is not a health department near you, your county extension agent can help you find a lab. 
• If you live near animal feeding operations, agricultural fields where pesticides are applied or industrial chemical factories, you should contact your local health department for additional testing, especially if you smell fuel or chemicals in your water. 
• It is strongly recommended to call your local health department or licensed well driller to shock chlorinate the well if it has been flooded. A water well driller will have access to more effective products and will have equipment and experience that a typical well owner will not have. Find more information about well water and health.” 

Rapid Drinking Water Testing Options

We suggest reaching out to your state’s health or public safety department or local health department to see if they can provide free or low-cost testing
If you’re able to order tests online (which may not be feasible if roads are shut off), they are available on Amazon and other online retailers.

• Safe Home® BACTERIA in Water Test Kit – Detects 50 Different Species of Coliform Bacteria Including E. Coli – Detection Level to 1 Organism – (4 Pack) 
  • Get results in 24-72 hours
  • Can be used at “room temperatures”

• Aquagenx CBT EC+TC Kit

  • Rapid and robust E. coli and total coliform water quality test kits do not require refrigeration or electricity.
  • Get results in 20-48 hours
• Water Testing Kits for Drinking Water: 125 Strips 16 in 1 Well and Drinking Water Test Kit, TESPERT Water Test Strips with Hardness, pH, Lead, Iron, Copper, Chlorine, and More  
  • Note that this tests for 16 contaminants, but does not include bacteria testing

 Tennessee 

• TN Hurricane Helene Disaster Page 
• TN Disaster Hotline: 423-830-2696  
• Department of Health 
  • Info for private well owners, how to test water quality  
  • TDOH Division of Laboratory Services, in partnership with TDH Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness (CEDEP) Waterborne Program has a “pilot program” for emergency response test kits for private well owners – they may be able to direct you to where to find a rapid test kit.  

North Carolina  

• NC Hurricane Helene Disaster Page
• Department of Health 
  • Information on testing your well  
  • Preparing Your Well for the Next Flood  

South Carolina 

• SC Hurricane Helene Disaster Page 
• Department of Health 
  • Drinking Water Safety After a Flood 
  • Private Well Hotline:  1-888-761-5989 
  • To test the water from a residential well, a well owner can obtain a sample kit from their local South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) Regional Office or Health Department. There are two types of kits, one for a coliform bacteria test and one for a metals and minerals analysis 

Florida  

• FL Hurricane Helene Disaster Page 
  • Department of Health 
    • State Assistance Information Line 1-800-342-3557 
    • Private well testing information  

Georgia

• GA Hurricane Helene Disaster Page 
  • This includes a list of points of distribution across impacted counties to access essential items! 

Virginia 

• Virginia Tropical Storm Helene Disaster Page  
• Department of Health 
  • Protect Your Well and Septic from Flooding 
  • Virginia Household Water Quality Program: Shock Chlorination: Disinfecting Private Household Water Supply Systems.  

Mutual Aid & Local Non-Profits Providing Relief Assistance

Please consider donating your time, resources, or money to the below groups offering assistance in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Need support? Try reaching out to a mutual-aid group or non-profit near you for assistance. Many are staying up-to-date with resources on their websites, Instagram and Facebook pages.

Do you know of other groups we should add to this list? Please email Shelby at scline@rivernetwork.org or add as a comment for us to update.  

Additional Aid:

• Mutual Aid Disaster Relief
• Appalachian Hurricane Helene Relief Resources

As the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in the southeastern states reminds us, the need for effective floodplain management is more urgent than ever.

A healthy floodplain should serve as a sponge, absorbing floodwaters to support essential hydraulic and ecological functions. Historically, floodplain management has focused on controlling rivers within rigid channels. While this control is thought to keep people safe, it comes at a cost: degraded river health and decimated ecosystems.

From the arid landscapes of the Colorado River Basin to the coastal plains of the Southeast, communities across the nation are grappling with the increasing frequency and intensity of floods. It’s time to embrace a new paradigm for our rivers: one that works with nature, not against it. By building comprehensive and holistic floodplain management plans that emphasize nature-based solutions, we can build more resilient communities and healthier rivers.

How River Network Supports Integrated River Management (IRM)

Integrated River Management (IRM) has proved beneficial for both people and the environment, from improved water quality and flood resilience to more recreational opportunities.

River Network is collaborating with community-based organizations and governments in the Colorado River Basin to bring IRM into the planning conversation, including Colorado Water Conservation Board, The Nature Conservancy, American Rivers, the Yampa River Collaborative, and RiversEdge West. We are developing watershed plans that embrace the whole ecosystem, incorporate local values, and prioritize long-term resilience over short-term gains. But there is more work to be done. 

Many organizations, in Colorado and beyond, struggle to find the capacity and funding to execute these broad and comprehensive plans. A lack of knowledge sharing, capacity to collaborate, and few incentives to innovate mean that we have fewer champions of IRM than our rivers need. We’re trying to fix that.

NEW Floodplain Management Resources in the State Policy Hub

The State Policy Hub has expanded to include a dedicated State Action for Healthy Rivers section. Here, you’ll find resources to support your floodplain management efforts, including state policies, resolutions, and plans related to aquatic litter, bolstering Clean Water Act protections, and floodplain restoration.

Head over to the Floodplain Restoration & Protection section for essential context, definitions, and case studies. You can also access interviews with network practitioners in Vermont and Washington who are leading the charge in floodplain management. This policy database is here for you to imagine and discover how you can champion healthier rivers and resilient floodplains in your state.

Coming Soon: The River Smart Communities Toolkit

Soon, we’ll be releasing a comprehensive resource designed to guide organizations and agencies in implementing IRM principles. Expanding on the resources you can find in the Stream Management Plan Resource Library and the State Policy Hub, this toolkit will offer practical guidance, case studies, and best practices to help you: 

• Build a network of key partners across diverse user groups and engage groups and communities thoughtfully and consistently.   
• Articulate a common vision across partners. Vision statements guide a collective IRM planning process or articulate community-driven river characteristics for a healthy river corridor.
• Create roadmaps for navigating the vision, including gathering existing information from scientific studies, community plans, and IRM best practices. 
• Integrate holistic river benefits in other plans, such as comprehensive, climate or sustainability, water-related, and hazard mitigation plans – and across different sectors including water resources, land use, stream health, and natural hazards. 
• Implement strategies and projects identified in the roadmap that will sustain or advance holistic management while avoiding harm. 

Empowering Your Holistic River Management

The challenges facing our rivers and communities are complex, but there is hope. Together, we can break down silos, embrace innovative solutions, and advocate for policies that will build essential floodplain resilience. The State Policy Hub and the upcoming River Smart Toolkit are just two ways we are moving forward.

Connect with Brian Murphy to learn more about our work in the Colorado River Basin and how you can get involved.

This week, River Network recognizes and highlights Source Water Protection Week (September 29 -October 5) alongside other water-focused nonprofits, water utilities and associations, and government. When I sat down to write this blog, I was reflecting on national polling about water challenges in our country, which showed that voters are most concerned about pollution of lakes and rivers (89%), flooding (88%), and drinking water contamination (86%). Then I dug up an old issue of River Voices from 1996 (we’ve been doing this for a while!) – the same year amendments were made to the Safe Drinking Water Act. River Network’s prioritization of drinking water has shifted since then – as it has for many river and watershed groups – but I was struck by the national polling results that we cited 28 years ago, stating that “almost all Americans are very concerned about the quality of their drinking water.” Nearly three decades later, protecting the water we drink remains a critically important issue. What does that look like in practice?  

Source Water Protection is a Connective Thread 

Through our three focus areas of healthy, resilient rivers; climate resilient communities; and safe, affordable drinking water, River Network works with and supports a diverse array of river, justice, and water advocates who engage in source water protection activities and advocacy. Right now, we’re accepting applications for our recently launched Rooting Resilience Program, which will fund urban and community forestry projects. The Forest Service already has a strong Forests to Faucet assessment program to provide information connecting downstream users to source water protection actions related to forest conservation.  

In my home state of Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources’ Forest to Mi Faucet program works with water utilities to implement source water protection plans and connects conservation groups to water utilities and landowners who manage forested areas. Organizations engaged in the Forest to Mi Faucet program include Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW), Huron River Watershed Council, Flint River Watershed Coalition, Kalamazoo River Watershed Council, and River Raisin Watershed Council, as well as land conservancies and other partners. Robert Cloy II, Urban Waters Ambassador with LGROW, explains,

“By participating in the Forest to MI Faucet Program, LGROW has been able to work with upstream rural landowners to educate on the importance of expanding their forests in riparian zones to protect downstream users. We also help water utilities implement their source water protection plan through the education of residents by promoting the sustainable use of water resources in the watershed.”

What is Source Water Protection?

Our drinking water comes from a variety of raw, untreated sources, including streams, rivers, springs, lakes, groundwater, and reservoirs. About 85% of people in the US rely on public water systems to deliver water to their homes; the other 15% rely on private groundwater wells. Protecting source water is one of the most proactive, effective ways to address drinking water quality and quantity concerns, preventing exposure to contaminated water with the added benefit of reducing treatment costs for water utilities. Find out more at EPA’s Source Water Protection webpage. 

River Network’s Healthy Rivers Program team works closely with the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to support communities’ and coalitions’ watershed planning efforts to meet Colorado’s Water Plan goal: that 80 percent of locally prioritized rivers be covered by stream management plans (SMP) by 2030. Stream management and integrated watershed management planning (SMP/IWMP), source water protection planning (SWAP), wildfire ready action plans (WRAP), and other watershed planning efforts help communities assess and address watershed health – gauging aquatic ecosystems, riparian area conditions, water flows, nutrient cycling, contaminant hazards, floodplain land uses, and other elements that impact water quality. Healthy watersheds provide ecosystem services such as flow regulation, flood control, water purification, dilution of contaminants, erosion control, and habitat protection that benefit not only ecological processes, but also local and state economies, community, and quality of life.

Communities across the country are facing a range of water-related climate change threats, from droughts to flooding and intense storms – all of which can negatively impact a community’s water supply. Even natural disasters that don’t directly involve water, such as wildfires, can contaminate source water by choking rivers with sediment, triggering algal blooms, damaging water intakes, or polluting water with chemicals.  In 2021, the Dixie Fire of California burned over 963,000 acres in the northern portion of the state. Erosion and runoff into the Sierra watershed, including chemicals from the burned downtown of Greenville, were top concerns for state water officials that autumn.   In 2020, the aftereffects of the East Troublesome Fire, which burned over 193,000 acres in northern Colorado, createding flash flooding and sedimentation in the Cache la Poudre River and, causing the city of Fort Collins to pause its use of the river as a source water. As climate impacts intensify, protecting source water is becoming more and more vital to ensuring people can have access to clean drinking water. Grant programs such as the Wildlife Ready Watersheds program, launched in Colorado in 2023, can support communities develop contingency plans to protect source water before disaster strikes. 

“We protect source water by working with stakeholders on a source water protection plan completed in 2024. We work on source water protection because our Town of Crested Butte has one sole source of drinking water. Our watershed management planning contributes to source water protection by identifying key sources of contamination with many stakeholders and creating best management practices. We have started implementing the highest important best management practices in 2024 including Alternative Source Water study and Wildfire Ready Action Plan grant application.”

– Carolyn de Groot, Town Engineer, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado

River Network’s drinking water work focuses on federal policy and regulations related to water quality, water affordability issues, as well as water, stormwater, and wastewater infrastructure challenges and opportunities – but source water protection isn’t unrelated. Right now, we’re teaming up with PolicyLink to provide advocacy training support for a cohort of community-based organizations in Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Alabama to tackle thorny issues related to the states’ Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Fund Programs. One organization participating in this cohort is Protect Our Aquifer, a Memphis, TN-based organization that organizes to protect, conserve, and preserve the Memphis Sand Aquifer. They are in it for the long haul – Protect Our Aquifer “envisions the sustainable management of groundwater resources that will support the next seven generations living and working within the Mississippi Embayment.”

“Source water protection is critical to address vulnerabilities inherent in our groundwater system – upon which we are fully dependent in West Tennessee. Whether addressing local disinvestment in groundwater management here in Memphis or convening regional water stakeholders to discuss groundwater issues, we elevate the need for prioritization of source water protection as our region rapidly grows.”

– Mersadies Burch, Operations Director, Protect Our Aquifer

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer provides drinking water for many in south Jersey, but is facing pollution from fertilizers, pesticides, and runoff from paved surfaces, along with threats from over-pumping. Stephen Elliott, Pinelands Preservation Alliance’s Water Outreach Specialist, leads the Pinelands Preservation Alliance’s Landscape Makeover Program. He explains,

“The primary mechanism for protecting source waters in New Jersey’s Pinelands is conservation. However, where development is allowed within Pine Barrens ecosystems and as water leaves the political boundaries of the Pinelands National Reserve and development becomes denser, we are working with municipal and non-profit partners to implement green stormwater infrastructure. These nature-based solutions capture and naturally filter stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces like concrete and asphalt while also facilitating groundwater recharge and providing native habitat for our vital pollinators. Our hope is that one day the pristine waters of the Pinelands will make their way into the Delaware River and Atlantic Ocean untainted by its human occupants.”

At both the local and state levels, source water protection is a team effort, requiring coordination and collaboration between community-based organizations, water conservation districts, water utilities, municipalities, and state agencies. All of these players rely on the key federal law protecting our drinking water – the Safe Drinking Water Act.

How the Safe Drinking Water Act Helps Protect Source Water

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, requires each state to conduct source water assessments. Amendments to the SDWA in 1996 required states to conduct assessments within source water protection areas: the areas from which rain and melting snow drain into the waterbody or aquifer that is used as a water source.   

Following the 1996 amendments, source water assessments were conducted for all public water systems under each state’s jurisdiction. The assessments identified activities that are likely to affect the quality of the water supply source, giving states and water systems the information needed to identify and implement measures to proactively protect source waters from contamination.  

To learn more about source water assessment activities, contact your water system or your state’s drinking water agency to request access to their assessment reports.  

• Learn more about source water protection in River Network’s Drinking Water Guide. Our online training series also offers the freedom to learn at your own pace about drinking water safety, sustainability and access at the local, state or national level. Module 1 covers source waters and includes an activity on Source Water Assessment Programs! 

We, along with other partners, are marking the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act by reflecting on its successes, highlighting how community members have fought to secure safe and clean drinking water, and asking YOU to imagine what the next 50 years of the Act could mean for the US. We invite you to contribute to this collaborative map and find additional SDWA communication tools, stories, resources, and advocacy opportunities.  

Connecting to Your Source Water

Many people don’t know where their tap water comes from. Source Water Protection Week is all about connecting to our waterways and helping folks learn where their water comes from. 

We asked some River Network board members about their source waters:

Andrew Fahlund – Mossbrae Falls is one of the massive springs on Mt. Shasta that is the source of the Sacramento River, half of the drinking water source for Davis, CA. The other half is groundwater. 

Kevin Jeffery – In Juneau, AK, roughly one-third of the drinking water comes from the surface waters and snow melt running into Salmon Creek Reservoir. You can take a lovely uphill hike to see it if your calves can handle it. Here is a panoramic view from the water’s edge. 

If you’ve never connected with the Source Water Collaborative (SWC), this is a great time to get engaged! SWC works to further the goals of drinking water source protection, recognizing the value of coordinated action in tackling challenges. Source Water Collaborative resources include case studies on successful source water protection, funding sources, suggestions for potential partners, and resources on emergency response. 

I hope you can take the time this week to appreciate the source water your community relies on every day, the many people who work to keep source waters’ supplies reliable, free of contamination, and resilient to climate change impacts. I’ll be admiring the Detroit skyline at sunset from Belle Isle in the Detroit River – a source water body that has faced plenty of pollution and contamination over the years, but is much cleaner today thanks to the water system’s source water protection plan implementation, enforcement of state and national regulations, and local watershed groups’ efforts.  

Happy Source Water Protection Week! 

River Network’s Rooting Resilience Program will provide funding and technical assistance to projects that build resilience and enhance communities’ abilities to plan and carry out forestry projects. Funding for these projects is provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Urban and Community Forestry Program of the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The first round of grantees are local and state governments who will work with local community groups to increase tree cover, helping keep communities cool during extreme heat and increasing public access to green space. Learn more about each project below.

We are thrilled to be providing $6.2 million to these local and state government partners. Another $3.3 million will be awarded to community-based nonprofits and Tribal groups, with at least $2 million to Tribal groups specifically.

Are you part of a Tribal group or community-based nonprofit? Apply for the next round of urban and community forestry grants by October 23, 2024.

State of Hawai’i

The state will plant 6,000 rare and common native hardwood tree species on state-managed lands in O’ahu. The establishment of these sustainable forests will help conserve rare species and increase availability of wood to Native Hawaiian communities for use in traditional cultural practices. Populations of these trees have declined over time due to habitat alternation, invasive specifies, and climate change underscoring the need for this innovative project. Funding will help prepare the land for planting, provide stipends to community organizations to support tree maintenance, and buy seedlings. Funding from other sources will support community engagement, including culturally-grounded wood carving programs for community members. The state will partner with the Aloha Tree Alliance, Ko’olau Mountains Watershed Partnership, and the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa’s Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit.

City of Honolulu, Hawai’i

The city will plan, plant, maintain, and expand its urban trees to decrease effects of extreme heat due to climate change, focusing on disadvantaged communities. It will build a collaborative community tree plan through community engagement to determine where trees are most needed, using the city’s experience with other climate adaptation initiatives. The city will also assess tree coverage with satellite imagery and heat risk and social vulnerability with other quantitative sources. The city will also expand its existing Community Canopy Program, which raises awareness about impacts of climate change and hosts planting demonstrations, community workdays, and native and fruit tree giveaways to families in priority communities.

City of Hermiston, Oregon

The city will inventory its existing trees and use this information to build a comprehensive plan for the future of its urban forests. The plan will include planting 2,500 new trees and maintaining the health of existing trees in disadvantaged areas so that they provide shade for many years to come. The city will also create an education program for the public to participate in the care of the city’s urban forests, both through a local community-based organization and the public school system.

City of Port Townsend, WA

Port Townsend, in the Seattle metropolitan area, will soon have more affordable housing in its historic district through zoning updates. Rooting Resilience funding will help the city replant trees that were clearcut from the area more than a century ago. This increase in tree cover will increase nature access in areas that will soon have higher population density. Under this grant, the city will also update its tree conservation ordinance so that it plans for climate change impacts and ensures equitable access to trees and shade.

City of Shoreline, WA

The City of Shoreline, also in the Seattle metropolitan region, is also planning for more dense and affordable housing near public transit. It will use this grant to monitor tree health and create a plan for planting and maintaining trees in disadvantaged communities. The city will expand its current program to encourage residents to plant and maintain trees on their property. The grant will also support urban forestry education and stewardship programs, which will focus on tree planting, ecological restoration, and volunteer-led stewardship in parks within disadvantaged communities.

City of Seattle, WA

The project will remove invasive species from Delridge Native Forest Garden and replant with native conifers and understory plants that are culturally significant to regional Tribes. The city will coordinate with local communities on educational and volunteer programs on urban forestry. This work is a pilot project for how partnerships with regional Tribes and community groups could be expanded to other City-managed natural areas in Seattle. The city will work with local partners Green Seattle Partnership, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association.

City of College Place, WA

Located in southeastern Washington State, the city will plant over 400 new trees and install irrigation alongside its main roadways, creating shade for the city’s multiuse path for cyclists and pedestrians. This funding will be used to implement the project envisioned as part of the city’s existing Urban Forestry Management Plan. The City will work with Noon Rotary, Sonbridge, and the Center for Humanitarian Engagement.

City of Tumwater, WA

The city’s canopy equity program will expand urban forest cover in disadvantaged communities through education programs on tree care that offer planting materials to residents. The city will also track air temperature in disadvantaged communities to see how much increased tree cover is helping mitigate extreme heat. The city will offer free tree health assessments to homeowners who might otherwise by default remove their trees, due to concerns that the trees might damage property as they age or weather storms.

City of Hillsboro, Oregon

The city will diversify the types of tree species in one of its urban forests, Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve. Oregon ash trees, which make up most of the forest, face decimation over the next decade due to the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive insect species. This diversification will make the forest more resilient against this pest and more resilient to environmental disruptions from flooding and climate change. The preserve is next to low-income communities that have the city’s lowest tree cover and are most affected by the heat island effect. Maintenance of the forest and additional tree planting in yards and alongside streets will help reduce temperatures and clean the air. The city will work with Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, Friends of Trees, Clean Water Services, and Oregon Department of Forestry.

Funding for the Rooting Resilience program is provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program. USDA and River Network are equal opportunity providers and employers.

Applications due October 23, 2024.

Recognizing that local community groups are key to contributing their expertise and serving as effective local and regional agents for change, River Network is excited to serve as a national pass-through partner of the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We aim to provide funding and technical assistance for disadvantaged communities to plan and carry out forestry projects that build both their capacity and climate resilience. Rooting Resilience is unique among other national pass-through programs, as we lean into our specialty: supporting small, local water, justice, and river organizations. The program will offer smaller scale funding, right-sizing our offerings to match what these grassroots groups need; and prioritizing first-time federal funding applicants. This model, paired with our extensive technical assistance offerings to ensure applicants are set up for success with their applications, mean fewer barriers to access to this historic federal funding.

While many know River Network as a leader in the water sector, forestry work is an important new program offering, and is directly tied to our 35+ year history of water work. We know that two-thirds of US drinking water comes from rivers and streams; we know that trees provide important water filtration services both up and downstream. We know that impacts from flooding and extreme heat have disproportionate effects; we know that trees slow the flow of rainwater and mitigate heat in cities and communities. Supporting groups on forestry projects is an interconnected and exciting way to work towards results in all our focus areas: healthy rivers, clean drinking water, and climate-resilient communities.

Funding for the Rooting Resilience program is provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program. In alignment with Justice40, 100% of the Rooting Resilience program grants will benefit federally designated disadvantaged communities, and no matching funds are required. Grants will range from $75,000 to $200,000 over a 1-3 year period, depending upon the project activities.

We are seeking applications from Tribes & Tribal organizations or community-based non-profits to support forestry projects that will build more equitable, thriving, and climate-resilient communities with and by the people who are most impacted.

Many disadvantaged communities have faced systemic and structural discriminatory policies that have impacted their tree canopy cover and access to nearby green spaces. The Justice40 Initiative and focus on increasing equitable access to nature will support more communities experiencing the benefits of trees which include improvements to local water quality, building climate resilience, and even community health and well-being.

For more about Justice40 and working with disadvantaged communities, we invite you to watch the video below, recorded at River Rally 2024.

River Network is excited about the potential of this funding to strengthen organizations and leaders to improve and protect their waterways and create climate-resilient communities through forestry work.

Applicant and Grantee Support

The Rooting Resilience Program will provide funding and technical assistance to community-based projects that build resilience and enhance communities’ abilities to plan and carry out forestry projects in the following ways:

• Acknowledge and attempt to address the typical barriers to accessing federal funding through the design of our application process and providing robust technical assistance to minimize the burden of applying for and managing a grant. To learn more about the assistance our staff is offering to applicants visit the RFA pages (Tribal RFA, Community-Based Organization RFA).
• Allow applicants to apply for funding for a variety of project types to meet community-identified urban and community forestry needs including planning and implementation, education and outreach, and workforce development projects.
• Post-award, provide virtual opportunities for peer support from your fellow grantees to engage in capacity building, networking, and technical assistance to ensure the successful completion and sustainability of your work. Recognizing the resources needed to participate in such offerings we’re encouraging applicants to include the necessary staff time to join these convenings in their grant request, which we anticipate will be 1–3-hour events up to four times per year beginning in January 2025.
• Support from River Network and our program partners during your award period to address any project challenges and ensure compliance and project success.
• Opportunities to showcase project progress and results via River Network and Forest Service publications and conferences or other events.

Selection Criteria

• The project includes work proposed by and with support from Tribal or disadvantaged community members who understand, based on lived experience, what approaches will work best for their area.
• The degree to which a project directly represents a federally designated disadvantaged community or proposes to directly benefit one through collaboration as well as the proposed benefit to a community’s trees.
• A demonstration that the project team has the necessary experience and/or skills to achieve project outcomes. This includes having established community relationships, Traditional Indigenous Knowledge, or other relevant skills, not just professional experience.
• Whether the proposed work will set the stage for future community-led forestry work by building organizational or community capacity, including the structure needed to access and comply with federal funding.

Application & Review Process

• Applications are due no later than October 23, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. To facilitate accessibility, we’re accepting both fully written applications through our online grant portal as well as video submissions or phone calls to address the application narrative.
• Final decisions will be made by mid-November with the swift execution of award agreements by the end of 2024 and projects beginning in January 2025. Given the program’s funding levels, we anticipate awarding between twenty and forty grants across both the Tribal entity and community-based non-profit opportunities.

Program Team

The Rooting Resilience program is led by River Network and our outreach and engagement partners at Anthropocene Alliance and Native Americans in Philanthropy. Collectively, the team has robust networks in underserved populations including Spanish-speaking, Tribal, and other disadvantaged communities that are on the frontlines of climate change impacts and typically have low tree canopy cover. With proven track records for awarding pass-through funding as well as providing technical assistance for grant development and management, we stand ready to support organizations who are new to federal funding and may need additional help applying for or managing a Rooting Resilience grant.

Together, we look forward to ensuring this pass-through Forest Service funding reaches its intended audience of Tribes and community-based organizations for its intended purpose of increasing equitable access to trees and nature and improving community resilience. Rooted in community, River Network hopes these investments and set the stage for future resilience work and the building of capacity for disadvantaged communities to access future funding opportunities.

Contact Information

For questions related to this grant opportunity, please contact rootingresilience@rivernetwork.org.

Funding for the Rooting Resilience program is provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program. USDA and River Network are equal opportunity providers and employers.