Top Ten Water Wishes for 2026 and Beyond

December 31, 2025

Water news, climate alerts, and increasing loss of biodiversity continued to receive notice in the U.S. throughout the past year. Despite 2025’s over-heated political rhetoric and hot wars being fought across multiple nations, the natural world again demanded our attention.

What follows are some of my personal water-centric wishes for 2026, including a look back at some of the stories that streamed through Trout Headwaters’ office this past year.

Top Ten Water Wishes for 2026 and beyond

#10

That we understand adaptation may only be necessary if survival is the desired outcome https://www.troutheadwaters.com/montanas-2025-river-closures-continued-disconnect-between-policy-and-flow/

# 9

That the terms ‘stream channel reconstruction’ and ‘stream restoration’ not continue to be used synonymously https://www.troutheadwaters.com/channel-reconstruction-a-thoughtful-tool-within-watershed-restoration/

# 8

That stone age engineering practices of armoring streambanks may be replaced by more modern solutions that respect the vital importance of riparian areas https://www.troutheadwaters.com/first-do-no-harm-this-approach-to-restoration/

# 7

That those agencies charged with protecting our precious water resources increasingly support restoration efforts with efficient and timely permits.  https://www.troutheadwaters.com/army-corps-to-improve-timely-efficient-processing-and-review-for-mitigation-banks/

# 6

That those damaging the environment (while claiming to be saving the environment) may find true purpose https://www.troutheadwaters.com/judge-halts-fish-poisoning-plan-in-montana-wilderness/

# 5

That we may respect the remarkable forgiveness of nature – and not abuse such forgiveness https://www.troutheadwaters.com/why-do-healthy-floodplains-matter/

# 4

That biodiversity becomes a priority for Homo sapiens (for our good and the good of the other estimated 8.7 million species which inhabit the world) https://www.troutheadwaters.com/freshwater-species-face-an-alarming-extinction-risk/

# 3

That conservation may become part of our dinner table discussion https://www.troutheadwaters.com/in-hot-water-climate-change-and-trout-habitats/

# 2

That our Nation may finally begin to stem its (unmitigated) wetland losses https://www.troutheadwaters.com/wetlands-and-climate-change/

# 1

That peace may be declared in the long conflict between our ecology and our economy https://www.troutheadwaters.com/the-new-wotus-rule-a-step-backwards/

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EcoBlu Analyst

Montebello

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Chesapeake Shore

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