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<br />w <br />~" <br />~.... <br />en <br /> <br />Protecting the Environment . . . <br /> <br />Reclamation's increased emphasis on improved management <br />and protection of resources is reflective of greater <br />environmental knowledge, changing societal values and needs, and <br />. the natural evolution from a resource development focus. <br />Reclamation projects can be planned, designed, constructed, and <br />operated to presezve and enhance environmental resources while <br />still meeting water and power supply needs. <br /> <br />Reclamation projects and management strategies must <br />provide for the appropriate balancing of all uses, including <br />meeting water quality objectives, controlling point and nonpoint <br />sources of pollution, providing for instream flow needs, and <br />conserving and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat and resources. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Reclamation activities will be managed to support the <br />national goal of no overall net loss of wetlands, and engineering <br />and scientific expertise will be made available to other entities to <br />assist in efforts to protect and enhance wetlands and riparian <br />habitat. The value of wetlands includes their inherent ability to <br />provide flood control, water storage, groundwater recharge, and <br />water quality improvement, in addition to their value for fish and <br />wildlife purposes. <br /> <br />,{ <br /> <br />The quality of the Nation's surface water and gronndwater is <br />critical to the public health, economy, and environment. <br />Therefore, the protection of groundwater and surface water from <br />contamination from hazardous and toxic wastes is a key strategy in <br />protecting the environment. Reclamation will aggressively seek to <br />ensure that all project-related lands are free of hazardous wastes, <br />and will assist other entities in the cleanup of hazardous wastes. <br /> <br />This section of the Strategic Plan presents five elements <br />related to the protection and enhancement of the environment in <br />conjunction with Reclamation's water resource management and <br />development mission. <br /> <br />DRAFr <br /> <br />i <br /> <br />,'t <br />,~ <br /> <br />~ '< .'~,~"-_' _ "''' ;~~J <br />