In a recent study, a few *sus* (i.e. suspicious) findings were came to light (your modern slang update). Water use in cities is going down (>25%), even as the population gets larger (>40%). This is great news for the environment! Limiting how much water we use is important to maintaining healthy flows and habitat for our aquatic plants and animals.

How much isn’t the only factor impacting stream health; what is in our waterways can be just as important to keeping the Chesapeake Bay, rivers, and creeks healthy. How do we know what’s in our water? We can look at things, such as the saltiness and cloudiness of a creek, to tell us something about our water. Maybe there’s road salt being used? Maybe there’s construction in the area? Changes in the landscape cause changes in the water and corresponding plants and animals that rely on healthy rivers for survival.

Many agencies and partners go out to streams and track these kinds of changes to inform water management. For example, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Fairfax County recently released their ten-year (2007-2018) study of local streams to assess stream health and stability.

Clean Fairfax’s own research has found plastic pollution to be prevalent in Fairfax county streams, particularly single-use plastic bags and plastic water bottles. We can tackle the trash in our waterways by advocating for the environment with policy changes. How can you advocate? You can put on your scientist hat and investigate your local stream. Voice your questions and concerns from your observations to your own municipal government or ask your district supervisor what initiatives they have in place to ensure a healthy Chesapeake Bay, rivers and creeks.