Although the National Forests cover only 20% of the land in California, they produce almost half the state's runoff water. Because so much of California's water comes from the National Forests, the health of our forest ecosystems and watersheds is critical. Many of California's National Forests were created specifically to safeguard and preserve water supplies. Water is California's most important natural resource. The water that comes from the National Forests is used for everything from agriculture to the high-tech computer industry, as well as for drinking water and hydroelectric power generation. This water supply is critical to California's economic and environmental health. |
