Why Land is the Key to Protecting Your Water

Whether you live in a city, a small town, or somewhere in between, clean and reliable water depends on the forests, wetlands, and open spaces that filter rainfall, recharge aquifers, and protect rivers and streams. Groundwater provides drinking water to nearly 50% of the U.S. population, yet persistent climate-induced drought conditions and excessive water usage for industrial, residential, and commercial development have severely depleted the country’s freshwater reserves. 

That’s where land conservation comes in. By protecting strategic landscapes — from the drought-stressed Southwest to the aquifers of the rural Midwest — The Conservation Fund is helping to secure the sources of water that flow into homes, farms, and ecosystems across the country. Our work protects the land that protects the water, with 65% of our land conservation projects protecting drinking water. Here are a few places where that work is making a difference: 

Port Orford, Oregon: Protecting a Town’s Water Source

On Oregon’s rugged southern coast, the small town of Port Orford depends on a creek for its drinking water — a supply vulnerable to sedimentation from logging. With aging infrastructure and limited resources, the town turned to The Conservation Fund for help. Together, we protected 160 acres of upstream forestland that supplies and filters the city’s water supply. This strategic conservation effort not only stabilized the watershed but also preserved important habitat for black bears, elk, and mountain lions along the Siskiyou-to-Pacific wildlife corridor. For Port Orford’s residents, it means clean, reliable water — now and for generations to come. 

Carvers Bay Forest, South Carolina: Safeguarding Water and River Health

Just inland from South Carolina’s coast, Carvers Bay is home to stunning wildlife, including black bears, fish, and state-endangered swallow-tailed kites. We protected over 8,000 acres of forested land here — not just for wildlife, but to protect the streams that flow into the Black River and serve as a drinking water source for nearby towns. By keeping this forest intact, we’re helping ensure clean water keeps flowing while supporting this growing hub for recreation and eco-tourism. 

Leslie Canyon, Arizona: Protecting a Desert Watershed

Water is life in the desert, and in Arizona’s Río Yaqui watershed, every drop counts. As regional growth put pressure on limited groundwater, The Conservation Fund partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect ranchland located within Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge. A conservation easement now prevents land fragmentation and shields sensitive springs and streams — a lifeline for eight federally listed species and the Indigenous communities that rely on this desert water source.   

Pelican River, Wisconsin: Keeping Forests Working and Water Clear

In Wisconsin, construction of vacation homes has chipped away at the industrial forests that once protected the region’s waters. The Conservation Fund recently helped conserve 70,000 acres of working forestland — the largest unprotected area in the state — preserving 68 miles of cold-water streams and 27,000 acres of forested wetlands. These lands feed into the Great Lakes and Mississippi River systems, serving as a natural filter for millions of people and wildlife. And because it remains a working forest, the protection also supports local jobs and rural economies.