In 1965, the US Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) "to preserve open space, develop recreation opportunities, and assure that all Americans have access to quality outdoor recreation." The Land and Water Conservation Fund receives $900 million annually, mainly from ocean oil drilling revenues. However, as much as 85 percent of each year's Fund is diverted for purposes...

From the National Resources Conservation Service and the US Department of Agriculture, the recently released 1997 National Resources Inventory provides a statistically-based account of "conditions and trends of soil, water, and related resources" on US non-federal lands, including data on wetlands, conservation practices, farmland, land use, and more. The makers claim, "it is the most...

Another informative Web site from the Environmental Protection Agency is the Online Training in Watershed Management page. Here, citizens have access to a wealth of information and tools to help them understand and protect their water resources. Six "modules" are offered, each of which take between a half to two hours to complete. They are organized by theme including an Introduction, watershed...

The mission of River Network, a non-governmental organization, is "to help people organize to protect and restore rivers and watersheds." To that end, the River Network homepage offers a wealth of information and links on rivers and watersheds including publications, upcoming conferences, watershed protection issues, river conservation job listings, related organizations, and a searchable National...

The United States Society on Dams (USSD) is a professional organization that promotes the advancement of dam engineering and technology, and fosters public awareness of the importance of dams. The best feature on the society's home page is its excellent introduction to dams and their benefits. First, a short definition of a dam is given, and then some reasons for their construction are outlined...

This is the home page of the monthly publication US Water News. Most online content is news coverage of water supply and quality, legislation, water rights, conservation, and the global waterfront. The collection of links is quite impressive, with state, federal, international, nonprofit, and many other resources listed. Assorted buyer's guides for a wide variety of water products are given with...

This incredibly comprehensive and well-organized site from the USGS offers visitors all sorts of information on water quality studies from all over the United States. By clicking on a map of the US, users are taken to a list of study areas, with over fifty to pick from. By clicking on an individual study, such as the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, the user is provided with a description of the...

This report, from the Economic Research Service, examines the differences between private and public incentives regarding wetlands. Central to the report is the recognition that society has recently increased the value it places on wetland services, from water quality improvement and flood control to wildlife habitat, and recreation. The report (.pdf format) "assesses the need for continued...