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.
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act requires authorization from the Army Corps of Engineers for discharge of dredged or fill material into all waters of the U.S., including wetlands.
August 19, 2024 Comments submitted on behalf of Protect Our Water Jackson Hole (POWJH) in response to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s (WDEQ) notice inviting comments on the pollution...
July 12, 2024 Comments submitted on behalf of Protect Our Water Jackson Hole (POWJH) in response to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) public notice inviting comments on the...
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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