Its waters are the life-giving force that sustains our entire ecosystem and community. Our health, wellness, recreational and economic vitality all depend on the health of this watershed and the awe-inspiring natural world that it supports.
Designation as a wild and scenic river is our nation’s strongest form of protection for free-flowing rivers and streams with remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, or historic value. Many of the wild and scenic rivers, like Jackson Hole’s Snake River, offer an incredible spectrum of recreational opportunities that range from fly fishing to whitewater rafting to places where people can simply cool off and sit in quiet.
The Snake River’s scenic and recreational appeal is a tremendous economic driver for the Jackson Hole community.
These headwaters also supply our only source of drinking water. Below the surface and out of sight, the groundwater in the Snake River Alluvial Aquifer has been federally designated as a Sole Source Aquifer by the EPA for drinking water for all of Teton County. This makes the Snake River one of the single-most important factors for health and livability in Teton County, Wyoming.
This means the Snake River doesn’t just flow down the visible river channel. It flows over and through the entire floodplain system, from valley wall to valley wall, and supports an extraordinary diversity of life.
A gravel-bed river doesn’t just flow down the channel. It’s an invisible river flowing over and through the entire flood plain system, from valley wall to valley wall.
The streams, creeks, and other small waterways in our region are all part of our watershed and they each contribute directly to the health of the Snake River.
Serious and potentially life-threatening effects of high nitrate consumption have been recognized since the 1960’s leading the EPA to establish a maximum acceptable level in drinking water at 10 mg/L. Levels of nitrates have increased considerably over the past 100 years. POWJH considers drinking water with greater than 2 mg/L nitrate to be impacted by human activity and advises that water at or above this level should not be consumed.
September 23, 2025 A formal letter from Protect Our Water Jackson Hole (POWJH) to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requesting an investigation of groundwater contamination in the Pub...
September 8, 2025 Comments submitted on behalf of Protect Our Water Jackson Hole (POWJH) and Snake River Fund (SRF) regarding AMD2025-0001, which seeks to allow primary light and heavy industrial...
August 28, 2025 Comments submitted on behalf of Protect Our Water Jackson Hole (POWJH),urging the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) to promptly investigate the potential for ongoing groundwater contamination adjacent...
Support Protect Our Water Jackson Hole today to help us preserve and protect the Snake River watershed for future generations. Take action through volunteering, donating, putting best-practices in place, and raising awareness among community members.
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