Water, Air and Soil

Did you know that the Forest Service manages the largest municipal water source in the United States?  Over 180 million people in 68,000 communities get their water from national forest lands, that's 20% of all municipal water in the country.  All of the communities surrounding the Bighorn National Forest fully or partially depend on water from the forest.  This water is used for municipal reasons and for irrigation.  As a multi-use agency, the Forest Service applies techniques to timber and vegetation management, recreation management, wildlife habitat and grazing management, and firefighting to protect clean water. Read the Aquatic, Riparian, and Wetland Ecosystem Assessment to learn more.