The need for improved water resource protection is urgent, yet land-use activities increasingly imperil our water supplies. With that in mind, we’re excited to present a three-part blog series, “Watershed Paths to Water Protection,” on citizen stewardship of water resources by Karen Schneller-McDonald, author of Connecting the Drops: A Citizens’ Guide to Protecting Water Resources.

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We’ve seen the headlines.

“Officials Call for Drastic Action Amid ‘Water Quality Crisis’ in Newburgh”

“Hoosick Falls Water Contamination Crisis”

“Hopewell Families Win Battle for Money in Toxic Water Fight”

And that’s just the beginning, as threats to water quality become reality, affecting life and health in an ever-growing list of communities.

How can we protect our water? To facilitate local discussion about water protection, the Hudson Valley Regional Council and the Saw Kill Watershed Community hosted a workshop on September 25 in Red Hook, a small Dutchess County town on the Hudson River. People filled the community meeting room, drawn by a shared concern: protecting their drinking water. Continue reading “Watershed and Community” →