Canoeing on a still lake, cooling off by an alpine stream, a child's discoveries in a tidepool; these are ways that we experience water in our parks, expecting it to be clean, clear and abundant. Though, less than 3% of the earth's water supply is fresh water. In California each year, over a million acre-feet of water are pumped from underground and not recharged. As population rises, so does our demand for water. Worldwide, underground water tables are failing as demand for water rises above aquifer recharge rates. According to Sandra Postel in the 1997 edition of Last Oasis, "Since 1950 global water use has more than tripled... the diversion of water for farms and cities threatens to destroy irreplaceable ecosystems that support valuable fisheries and treasure troves of wildlife".

Over-consumption is only part of the problem. In addition to overpumping our groundwater, we are polluting our fresh water at a startling rate. The Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design states, "Some 50 pesticides contaminate groundwater in 32 American states". In the U.S., 'do-it -yourself' oil changes produce at least 200 million gallons of oil each year. More than half of that is wasted, and just one quart of oil disposed of improperly can pollute 250,000 gallons of fresh water. Industrial discharges have had critical effects on the world's lakes. Studies are underway to determine potential health implications of toxic pollution in the Great Lakes basin where exposure to PCBs, dioxins, alkylated lead, mirex and methylmercury are believed to cause developmental, reproductive, neurologic, endrocrinologic, and immunologic effects.

Habitat disturbance in the form of large dams, small barriers, and flow alterations modify water temperatures, seasonal flow patterns and other conditions that support native species. We are witnessing a decline in Pacific salmon runs, the deterioration of up to 30% of the world's coral reefs and warming of the surface layer of the ocean by as much as 1.5 degrees Celsius in some places since 1951. Recent ocean warming is thought to have led to notable declines in zooplankton which can have devastating effects on the foodchain and all of the species that they support. Water is the basis of life and upon it we depend unconditionally. By cleaning up our pollution, preventing pollution and conserving water, we will improve the chances for future generations to not only live healthy lives, but to experience the sight of whales in migration, the taste of fresh lake trout on the campfire, or the splashing of children at a rivers edge.