More than 60 million Americans turn on the tap and get water that started as snowmelt on national forest land.
]The National Forest System is the single largest source of drinking water in the country, according to the Forest Service. Many national forests sit directly over the source areas for major rivers and aquifers, which makes the health of the forest and the health of the water supply the same question. Cut down the trees, degrade the watershed, and the water quality downstream goes with it.
It’s easy to take a glass of tap water for granted. It’s a lot harder once you’ve hiked to the headwaters and watched where it actually comes from.
More info: USDA Forest Service (fs.usda.gov)