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Water covers over two-thirds of earth's surface and is essential to all forms of life. It links ecosystems to each other, it transports food and nutrients, it dilutes pollution and waste, it cools and warms the land and air, it supplies us with energy, it provides us with food, it provides habitat for a multitude of creatures. Fresh water - the water we can use to drink, bathe, and farm - makes up only a tiny percentage of the water on earth. As such, it is a scarce and precious commodity that needs to be protected and managed carefully.
How we develop our land has a direct impact on the availability and quality of our water supply. Auto-dependent, sprawling development can pollute water supplies, harm wildlife habitat, endanger public health, cause flooding, and worsen droughts.
Below you'll find information about New Jersey's water resources, why it is so important to improve New Jersey's water quality and manage our water resources safely, and smart growth strategies to help improve and protect our water resources.
This section of the Smart Growth Gateway is possible thanks to the Stony-Brook Millstone Watershed Association. Visit their websites at www.thewatershed.org, www.thewatershedinstitute.org, www.beesinc.org, and www.giscenter.org.