It’s Not Always Sunny in Philadelphia

By Bob Wendelgass, President & CEO. Follow Bob on Twitter - @BWendelgass It rained yesterday here in Philadelphia--which reminded me why we need to restore protection under the Clean Water Act to all our streams and wetlands. When it rained, lots of small streams in my part of the city popped back into life, carrying rainwater downstream to the larger Wissahickon Creek and eventually to the Schuylkill River.  Most of these small streams go dry between rainstorms, but they play a big role when it rains.  They carry rainwater off the land, feeding water into their larger downstream cousins, and providing nutrients to the aquatic life in the overall watershed.   Small streams like these are at risk of destruction and degradation unless EPA moves forward to restore protection for them under the Clean Water Act. We also had some flooding when it rained. Runoff from the storms rushed directly into our streams, overwhelming them and causing them to overflow their banks.  Many of the wetlands that would have buffered this runoff, preventing the flooding by absorbing the rainwater and releasing it slowly, have already been destroyed.  All the more reason to make sure that those that remain are protected. Our watersheds can’t thrive without the small streams that feed them and the wetlands that protect them.  A little rainstorm in Philadelphia yesterday demonstrated that once again.  Mother Nature keeps giving us these reminders…now it’s our job to make sure they are protected again. Join us, and let EPA know that it’s time to restore protection to all our small streams and wetlands.