Water areas include ponds, lakes, and reservoirs greater than 2 acres in size and streams greater than 120 feet wide. 



Alaska and Hawaii. The Great Lakes of the North 

 Central region account for three-quarters of the other 

 water areas. Most of the rest is located in the Atlantic 

 and Gulf Coast States and in Washington. 



In the last few decades, as the result of the con- 

 struction of dams and other impoundments, both 

 large and small water area categories have been grow- 

 ing. The upward trend is expected to continue, 

 although at a slower rate. The water area is accord- 

 ingly projected to rise from 107 to 118 million acres 

 by 2030, an increase of 10 percent (table 2.2). Most of 

 this increase is likely to be in the large water area 

 category and result from the construction of 

 reservoirs. 



All navigable waters — streams, lakes, reservoirs, 

 bays, etc. — have always been considered as publicly 

 owned. Public access, however, is controlled by the 

 owners of adjoining lands. 



No single measure of the productivity of the 

 Nation's waters is meaningful because of the different 

 requirements for different uses. Water that cannot 

 sustain aquatic life might be highly desirable for 

 domestic or industrial use. It is evident, however, that 

 these surface waters are of great importance to the 



Nation. In addition to the domestic and industrial 

 uses, they provide water for irrigation, navigation, 

 and power generation; habitat for waterfowl; and the 

 necessary medium for the existence of fish and other 

 forms of aquatic life. Much of our outdoor recreation 

 is water-based. The suitability of the Nation's water 

 areas for various uses depends in part on the man- 

 agement and use of the adjoining forest and range 

 lands. 



The North 



The North geographic section of the United States 

 includes 20 States from the Atlantic seaboard west to 

 Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri, and south to the 

 Ohio River, including West Virginia and Maryland. 

 The northern portion of this section is characterized 

 by moderately long, relatively severe winters. Pre- 

 cipitation is moderate and ranges from 25 to 45 

 inches. A short growing season of 100-140 frost-free 

 days imposes severe restrictions on agriculture. Most 

 of this area has low relief with some rolling hills and 

 low mountains in the Northeast. Much of the area 

 has been glaciated; glacial landforms are common. 



25 



