Land and Watershed

Penn State faculty and students study the health of natural and manmade wetlands.

Central Appalachia’s watersheds face a wide variety of serious challenges to their health, including sedimentation, heavy metal contamination, stormwater runoff, and high levels of human waste in streams.

One of the biggest users of the Platte doesn’t actually take water out of the river. It’s used by wildlife—especially migrating birds. Most Nebraskans are familiar with the annual spectacle of millions of birds roosting in the central Platte on their way north. But few know how much work occurs year round to maintain this quality habitat, especially for endangered species. For our in-depth report “Water Demands on the Platte,” NET News looked at how the river is being managed for wildlife.

Nebraska leads the nation in the number of irrigated acres. The Platte River is one of the main sources of that irrigation water. Over time, those demands have increased. And farmers, water managers and seed companies are becoming more water efficient. For our in-depth report “Water Demands on the Platte,” NET News looked at a few of the ways Nebraskans are maximizing water for agriculture.

At the 20th Annual Utah Water Summit in October more than one state water expert noticed there were fewer cowboy boots than ever before. On the final episode of Five Billion Gallons, we’ll look at the changing face of water management in the state and hear from a whole range of Utahns on what the state’s water future will look like.

To outdoor enthusiasts, the 62-acre Millbrook Marsh in Centre County is one of the area’s crown jewels. Penn State Professor Rob Brooks says the benefits of this unique ecosystem are far more than recreational. WPSU’s Patty Satalia visited the marsh with Brooks and learned how this special environment prevents flooding and protects and filters our drinking water.