Sustainable stream, river and wetland restoration has benefits that extend well beyond the restoration industry itself into two of the United States most important industries: agriculture and tourism. Properties with pristine water resources are valued as much as five times higher than their upland counterparts, increasing property values and the associated property-tax base.

 

Healthy, functioning, floodplains increase water-storage capacity, directly benefitting the agricultural, hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation industries. Stable streambanks and healthy riparian areas decrease flooding and improve water quality, important benefits to all who share these water resources. 

 

The natural features that are present in our watersheds provide services for us. We all know that clean water is important to us; in fact humans can’t live without it! What you may not be aware of are the other functions that a healthy watershed supplies for us.

 

Wetlands filter runoff water from cities and fields and remove sediment. Natural stream banks slow down water as it races at high water helping to control flash flooding. And natural, un-compacted soils absorb water slowly after it rains helping to control erosion and flooding, and helping to filter the water before it reaches ponds, lakes, and rivers.

 

A healthy watershed provides all these services to us for free, but when we disturb the natural systems that are at work for us, we have to pay to have the same services performed. Instead of the healthy un-compacted soils absorbing and filtering water to help clean it, we must pay more for water treatment. Instead of natural vegetated stream banks slowing down rushing, raging, high waters, we pay the costs of flash flood damage. Instead of wetlands absorbing sediment and runoff from cities and fields those sediments end up choking streams and lakes resulting in maintenance costs.