By Dave Cucchiara

Communications & Program Associate

Water is the lifeblood of healthy communities. It sustains vital ecosystems, supports recreation, drives local economies, and, of course, provides the most basic human necessity: clean drinking water. Yet, our water resources face mounting pressures from aging infrastructure, invasive species, pollution, and increasingly severe weather events linked to our changing climate. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the United States needs to invest $125 billion in water infrastructure improvements over the next decade to ensure safe, reliable drinking water. Meanwhile, lakes and rivers across the country struggle with nutrient pollution, invasive species, and development pressures that threaten water quality for generations to come.

The F. M. Kirby Foundation recognizes that protecting water requires diverse approaches, specifically tailored to each of our geographic area of interest’s unique challenges. From investigative journalism that drives policy change to decades-long scientific monitoring programs to community education initiatives, our partner organizations demonstrate that safeguarding this vital resource demands equal parts vigilance and innovation.

In the Adirondack Region, Adirondack Explorer has emerged as an essential voice for water advocacy through its environmental journalism. Reporter Zach Matson’s 2022 investigation into aging dam infrastructure brought critical attention to public safety risks and helped secure funding from New York’s Environmental Bond Act for water infrastructure repairs, including the Indian Lake Stone Dam. But his reporting doesn’t stop at infrastructure. Mr. Matson now tackles complex issues through his weekly newsletter, Water Line, which reaches 7,000 subscribers with in-depth coverage of phosphorous pollution in Lake Champlain, the contentious use of herbicides to control invasive species in Lake George, and the region’s preparedness for increasingly intense storms.

“The Adirondack Explorer has prioritized reporting on water quality since 2020, with the hiring of a full-time water reporter to investigate threats and possible protection measures affecting the Adirondack Park’s lakes, ponds, streams and aquifers,” said Publisher Tracy Ormsbee. “Zach Matson’s deep reporting, subject-matter expertise, and clear, approachable writing style make science and policy issues like cyanobacteria or road salt impacts accessible to readers. He is making the Explorer the go-to source for expert reporting on one of the park’s greatest resources.”

What makes Matson’s journalism particularly valuable is his commitment to presenting multiple perspectives on divisive environmental issues. When state officials approved the EPA herbicide ProcellaCor to cull invasive species in Lake George, Matson’s reporting examined both the state’s assurances of safety and residents’ concerns about potential harm to native ecosystems and drinking water sources. This balanced, objective approach gives communities the information they need to engage meaningfully in environmental decisions that affect their daily lives.

Scientific data provides the foundation for effective water protection, and Protect the Adirondacks has supported this crucial work for nearly three decades through funding and helping to manage the Adirondack Lake Assessment Program along with its partner the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smith’s College. This long-term commitment to water quality monitoring generates the baseline data scientists need to identify emerging threats, track pollution trends, and measure the effectiveness of conservation practices. Twenty-eight years of continuous data collection represents an invaluable resource for understanding how Adirondack lakes respond to environmental pressures over time.

“The data and reports produced by Adirondack Lake Assessment Program are incredibly important resources for understanding long-term water quality trends and helping to anticipate future problems,” said Protect the Adirondacks Executive Director Claudia Braymer. “We are grateful to the dozens of dedicated volunteers who monitor approximately 80 water bodies each year throughout the Adirondack Park.” 

The citizen-scientist program operates through a partnership between Protect the Adirondacks and the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smith’s College, combining volunteer dedication with scientific expertise. Each month during sampling season, trained volunteers across the region measure water transparency, collect samples for chemical analysis, and filter water for chlorophyll testing. The program has monitored over 100 lakes and ponds throughout the expansive Adirondack Park, creating a comprehensive profile of water quality conditions that ranges from remote, pristine waters to heavily developed lakes near roads and communities.

In New Jersey, the Lake Hopatcong Foundation advances water stewardship through immersive, science-based education that connects students and community members directly to the lake they aim to protect. Its award-winning grade school field trip program engages thousands of students each year in hands-on learning on and around Lake Hopatcong, exploring ecology, water quality, and watershed health. Building on this foundation, a newly launched high school field trip program deepens environmental understanding through data collection, analysis, and discussions about sustainable lake management. The Foundation also extends its educational mission to the broader public through eco cruises aboard its floating classroom, where residents and visitors experience the lake’s ecology firsthand and learn practical ways to protect freshwater resources through engaging, on-the-water science.

“When people have the chance to experience the lake up close — testing the water, identifying aquatic plants and animals, and seeing firsthand how the watershed is interconnected — they develop a lasting appreciation for it,” said Lake Hopatcong Foundation Communications Director Holly Odgers. “That sense of connection is what inspires stewardship and ensures our lakes remain healthy for generations to come.”

Beyond education, the Foundation’s environmental work includes a Lake-Friendly Living program and guide, which provide actions residents within the watershed can take that can improve water quality, floating wetland islands that pull phosphorus from the water to reduce harmful nutrients, invasive species prevention through the Water Scouts program, and community cleanup events that remove debris from the lake and its watershed.

In North Carolina’s Research Triangle, Triangle Land Conservancy protects water quality through strategic land conservation. By permanently preserving forests, wetlands, and streamside buffers, the organization safeguards the natural systems that filter pollutants, slow stormwater runoff, and recharge groundwater supplies. This approach recognizes that clean water depends on complete, healthy watersheds.

“The F. M. Kirby Foundation’s steadfast support has made a lasting impact on the Triangle’s natural spaces and water quality,” said Triangle Land Conservancy Executive Director Sandy Sweitzer. “For more than 25 years, the foundation’s partnership has strengthened our ability to protect critical lands that safeguard clean water, support wildlife, and provide lasting benefits for our communities.”

The Conservancy’s work demonstrates that protecting water isn’t just about the water itself; it’s about preserving the interconnected landscapes that maintain water quality naturally. As the Triangle region continues to grow, conserved lands provide essential natural infrastructure that human-made engineered systems can’t fully replace. These protected areas also offer recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat, creating multiple community benefits from a single conservation investment.

We’re proud to work alongside these and many other dedicated partners in protecting our waterways, including The Nature Conservancy (Adirondacks and New Jersey Chapters), Adirondack Council, Eno River Association, American Rivers, Great Swamp Watershed Association, and the NJ Highlands Coalition.

Together, these organizations illustrate the multifaceted nature of water protection. Investigative journalism holds institutions accountable and informs public policy. Long-term scientific monitoring reveals changes that might otherwise go unnoticed. Community education transforms individual behavior into collective action. Land conservation preserves the natural systems that sustain water quality. Each approach addresses different aspects of the same fundamental challenge: ensuring that future generations inherit clean, abundant water resources.