State Protection of Wetland and Instream Uses of Water

Since 1973 individual states have taken important steps towards protecting stream flows and associated wetlands. This is especially true when those wetlands constitute the riparian zone of a stream because the stream flow itself contributes to maintenance of these riparian zones. These new opportunities to protect wetland and instream uses of water have been emerging for some time, mainly in the western states, and are becoming increasingly common in the midwest and eastern states. Almost all the state programs revolve around the management of water allocation: the water rights system.