"This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of protecting US waters and wetlands, and in safeguarding the country’s waters/wetlands in today’s political landscape. Royal Gardner shares his masterful knowledge of law, science, politics, and history through witty and entertaining storytelling that will keep readers turning pages. This book is a real winner!"
Gillian Davies, Society of Wetland Scientists Past President; Senior Ecologist, BSC Group, Inc.; and Visiting Scholar, Tufts University Global Development and Environment Institute
"From one of the nation’s eminent water scholars, a masterful, timely account of the gutting of the Clean Water Act. Royal Gardner writes with erudition and wit on the political and legal currents fouling our liquid lifeblood. A must-read for anyone who cares about water—and a path forward for keeping it clean."
Cynthia Barnett, author of The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans; Mirage; Blue Revolution; and Rain: A Natural and Cultural History
"One of the nation's leading authorities on water and wetlands, Gardner transforms highly technical laws, policies, and court decisions into an engaging story. If you want to understand how battles over the term ‘waters of the United States’ came to define, and potentially undermine, the protection of our nation's aquatic systems, read this book."
James Salzman, Bren Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, UCLA Law School and author of Drinking Water: A History
