Debate rages over which water bodies in the US are protected under federal law by the Clean Water Act. Science shows that isolated wetlands and headwater systems provide essential downstream services, but convincing politicians is another matter.
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References
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Ryan, M. Science versus political realities. Nature Geosci 10, 806–808 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo3049
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo3049
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