Fall Confluence 2025 gave me something I didn’t expect – a completely new way of seeing watersheds. Sure, I went in understanding water quality testing and pollution monitoring. But the conference shifted my perspective to something bigger: watersheds aren’t just water flowing downhill. They’re complete, living ecosystems where every plant, animal, and microorganism works together to provide the clean water we all depend on. The fauna and flora within our watersheds constantly react and adapt to the changes we humans create, and when that system stays healthy, nature does the heavy lifting of water purification for us.
But here’s where things get real. Understanding this ecosystem connection is only half the battle. Kate Groetzinger, Communications Manager for the Center for Western Priorities, wrote something in the October 1, 2025 Outdoor News that perfectly captures what we all need to hear: as good stewards of our watersheds, we need to be a loud voice. And right now, there’s a critical moment where that voice matters more than ever.
The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects over 58.8 million acres of national forest land from road-building, logging, and industrial activity. This represents one of the most significant protections for wildlife habitat in the United States – and one of the most important safeguards for the watersheds that supply our drinking water. Despite the rule’s long-standing success in protecting forests while allowing active fire management, the Trump administration announced in June that it plans to repeal it.
Here’s what happened next: the American people spoke up. An analysis by the Center for Western Priorities found that over 99% of public comments submitted oppose the administration’s plan to rescind the Roadless Rule. Let that sink in – 99.2% opposed the rescission, while just 0.6% supported it, and 0.2% remained neutral. This level of opposition isn’t new either. When the rule was first proposed in 2000, it garnered 1.6 million comments with over 90% in favor. A 2019 poll showed 75% public support, including strong backing from rural communities. Americans are united in protecting our national forests and the watersheds they contain.
The administration claims repealing the rule would reduce wildfire risk, but scientific evidence tells a different story. Research shows that increasing roads in forests actually increases wildfire risk. Why? Nearly 85% of wildland fires are caused by humans, according to the U.S. Forest Service, and more roads mean more human access. Plus, fuel reduction treatments are already permitted in roadless areas – in fact, fuel management activities happen more frequently per acre in roadless areas than elsewhere in the National Forest System. Historical fire maps confirm that forests with and without roads have burned at similar rates since the rule was established in 2001.
Let’s connect this back to what we learned at Fall Confluence about complete ecosystems. The Roadless Rule protects countless watersheds and the habitats that keep those watersheds functioning. Roads don’t just fragment wildlife habitat – they bring sediment runoff, increase erosion, disrupt the natural filtration systems, and degrade water quality downstream. When we protect roadless areas, we’re protecting the intact ecosystems that provide clean water to communities across the country.
There’s also a massive financial problem with repealing the rule. The U.S. Forest Service already faces a $10 billion road maintenance backlog. Opening up roadless areas to new road construction would only deepen this debt, creating infrastructure we can’t afford to maintain while simultaneously damaging the natural systems that provide free water filtration and ecosystem services.
This is exactly what Kate Groetzinger meant about being a loud voice. Americans have spoken clearly – twice this summer, actually. First, we defeated Senator Mike Lee’s attempt to sell off national public lands in June. Now, with overwhelming opposition to repealing the Roadless Rule, the message is unmistakable: leave our public lands and the watersheds they protect alone.
The Roadless Rule isn’t just about recreation or scenic beauty, though those matter tremendously. It’s about maintaining the complete, healthy ecosystems that Fall Confluence taught us to value. It’s about protecting the natural partnerships between land, water, and life that keep our drinking water sources clean. It’s about being loud enough that decision-makers can’t ignore the science, the public mandate, or the economic reality.
While the administration may attempt to move forward despite 99% public opposition, the political ramifications could be disastrous. But more importantly, the environmental consequences for our forests, wildlife, and water quality would be catastrophic. The American people have made their position crystal clear. Now it’s time for our leaders to listen to that unified voice and leave our public lands – and the clean water they provide – alone.
~ John Detisch, H2O Water Network
