Water, Air and Soil

Water

Water is one of the most important natural resources flowing from forests. Clean water flowing on the Sawtooth National Forest supports recreation, drinking water for many neighboring communities,  and quality spawning and rearing habitat for many fish species. 

Forests clean drinking water in a variety of ways. First, tree leaves and branches slow rainwater down before it reaches the forest floor, preventing erosion, especially during heavy downpours. Rainwater is then naturally filtered as it moves through the soil. Tree roots keep sediment from reaching streams and absorb nutrients that would otherwise pollute waterways. Even if they are far away from where surface water is pumped to provide supplies, forests help keep drinking water clean and safe.

Additional information on water resources and quality is available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Idaho Department of Environment Quality.  

Air

Clean air is a valuable resource on the Sawtooth National Forest. Recreational experiences on the Forest can be impacted by air quality and on-Forest activities have the potential to impact air quality outside Forest boundaries.

Smoke from wildfires across the west can be a significant source of pollution for the Forest and its neighboring communities. The smoke can fill local and downwind communities with dangerously high levels of particulate. Smoke from wildfires is becoming increasingly difficult to manage due to excessive fuel loads, history of fire exclusion, drought, and increasing temperatures.

Additional information on air quality is available from AirNow.gov and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

Soil

Soil regulates water, sustains plant and animal life, filters potential pollutants, cycles nutrients, and supports structures. Soil quality is the capacity of a specific kind of soil to perform those functions.

Understanding the ability and capacity of soil to support an ecosystem plays an important role in land management decisions.  Productive and stable soils are the building blocks for most all uses, products, and services the Forest provides. 

Additional information about soil science and health is available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service.