Building Green Infrastructure

This report presents the cases of four watersheds where land conservation is helping preserve water quality.

Austin, Texas, where nonpoint-source pollution due to rapid development is threatening the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer, a major drinking-water source.
Barnegat Bay, a coastal estuary of more than 450 square miles along New Jersey's tidal shoreline. Rapid development in the area threatens local drinking water, water quality in the bay, and the region's important wildlife habitat.
Mountain Island Lake, a pristine source of drinking water for Charlotte, North Carolina, and environs. Development along the lakeshore and tributary streams endangers water quality.
Indian River Lagoon, a 155-mile-long estuary along Florida's east coast. Rich in habitat for both marine and shore species, the lagoon is threatened by ecological changes due to past ditching and draining of water courses, as well as by development within the watershed.