Why are headwaters important?

Headwaters are where a river begins, a network of small upstream tributaries. But headwaters are more than just mountain creeks, they also include small streams that join a larger river in its lower reaches and springs, seeps and wet meadows that are scattered about the edges of agricultural lands.

Headwater streams comprise the largest total number and most linear miles of streams in the United States, according to the national non-profit organization American Rivers. Headwaters are a critical food source for the entire river, delivering water and nutrients to downstream regions, sustaining aquatic life. Additionally, healthy headwaters provide a limited dose of sediments, essentially "vitamins" to river health. Headwaters are also important diverse ecosystems, supporting rich and varied communities of plants and animals.

Headwaters are in trouble today because of what we do to them. Suburban sprawl, storm sewer run-off, non-point pollution from careless agricultural practices and deforestation all harm the structure and flow of headwater streams, eliminate habitats and degrade water quality. As development takes place in communities near streams, water quality is not only degraded, but the potential for flooding increases because the creation of impervious cover like roads prevents streams from flowing properly during storms.