Fresh water topped much of the news in 2011 as flooding, as well as drought and water shortages, continued to splash the nation’s headlines.  Our Top Ten Water Wishes for 2012 includes quick look back at some of those stories that streamed our network over the past year.

#10: Wishing that the use of expensive, damaging riprap be eliminated and replaced by strategies that actually help restore our waterways. >more

#9: Wishing that river, stream and wetland restoration efforts focus on sustainable strategies for repair and renewal. >more

#8: Wishing that our nation stop spending public monies on sure-to-fail projects that do nothing to improve habitats, water quality, or water quantity. >more

#7: Wishing that more water be dedicated to providing for basic ecosystem services. >more

#6: Wishing that all water users will increase their conservation efforts. >more

#5: Wishing that impacts become increasingly expensive for water polluters, motivating use of more sustainable practices by government and private industry. >more

#4: Wishing that the intentional dumping of poison into U.S. waterways (especially into our most pristine headwaters) comes to a long-overdue end. >more

#3: Wishing that restoration efforts for Chesapeake Bay consider long-term holistic management strategies. >more

#2: Wishing that the U.S. reinvest in its crumbling water infrastructure in order to improve and protect drinking water quality. >more

#1: Wishing that private and government land owners and managers focus their investments on our increasingly precious ground and surface water resources. >more