Wat e r
Taking Care of Our Source
Delaware Nature Society has been a longstanding advocate
for fishable, swimmable, and drinkable waterways. We work
to improve the connection between the natural world and
the public, educating people about conservation and their
watershed and teaching them how simple decisions in
their everyday life affect water.
Despite the passage of the Clean Water Act over 40 years
ago, there are residents today that still do not have access
to clean, safe drinking water, and whose waterways are
deemed unsafe for recreational use.
The Delaware River watershed spans 330 miles and four
states and provides crucial habitat to hundreds of plant and
wildlife species including over 200 fish species. From its
source in the Catskill Mountains of
New York, the Delaware River flows
downstream past rural, suburban,
and urban areas throughout the
mid-Atlantic region, including Trenton,
NJ, Philadelphia, PA, and Wilmington, DE.
More than 15 million people rely on Delaware
River waterways for clean drinking water.
Over 90% of our local waterways are not recommended for
swimming, drinking, or fish consumption. While this is a
challenge, it also presents opportunities to improve our
water quality by collaborating with others to find solutions.
powerhouse advocacy coalitions: Coalition for the Delaware
River Watershed unites organizations throughout the
region effectively advocating for protecting and restoring
the Delaware River Basin. Choose Clean Water Coalition
has been harnessing the collective power of more than
230 groups to advocate for clean rivers and streams in all
communities in the Chesapeake Bay region since 2010.
Delaware Nature Society also works closely with Delaware
Center for the Inland Bays, Partnership for the Delaware
Estuary, and the University of Delaware Water
Resource Center on the Clean Water: Delaware’s
Clear Choice campaign, a statewide education
and outreach effort focused on securing
additional clean water funding. This campaign
is championed by our Clean Wa ter Alliance, a
coalition of diverse stakeholder groups,
and our Water Warriors, citizen
advocates that care about
water quality.
In June 2017, Delaware Nature Society joined the Alliance
for Watershed Education of the Delaware River funded by
the William Penn Foundation. The 23 education centers in
the Alliance – including our DuPont Environmental Education
Center – are engaging thousands of people in exploring
and enjoying their local waters to become stewards of the
Delaware River watershed.
In December, 2016, the U.S. Congress passed the Delaware
River Basin Conservation Act (DRBCA) as part of a larger
legislative package known as the Water Infrastructure
Improvements Act for the Nation (WIIN).
This federal support achieved by other
What is a Watershed?
major watersheds, such as the Chesapeake
A watershed is an area
Bay, will help to implement restoration
of land that drains into a
and protection activities in addition to
supporting projects to protect our water
specific body of water.
quality, recreation opportunities, and critical
Everyone lives within a
wildlife habitat.
As one of the leading environmental
organizations in the state, Delaware Nature
Society represents Delaware for 2 regional
watershed. What we do on
land directly impacts the
quality of our waters.
Summer Camp Children Kayak in Local Waterways Thanks, in Part, to Clean Water Efforts
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Water is essential for all life – we can’t
underestimate its value, and we all need
to do our part to protect it. You can take
small steps to help ensure the protection
of water. Join our efforts in the Clean Water
Campaign. Protect habitats for wildlife
by planting native plants in your garden
(helps you use less water and no fertilizer).
Together we can protect the source.
Please visit DelNature.org/HealthyWaters
to help make a difference.
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