Marshes, forests, rivers, and streams are nature’s tools for cleaning water, yet only five percent of these types of natural areas remain within the San Joaquin Basin. Protecting and restoring these natural areas is one component of the San Joaquin River Blueway, and will help protect our water for the future. Vegetation along the river channel will help clean water run-off from adjacent land by slowing it down and allowing sediment to drop out before it enters the river, effectively capturing extra nutrients from the water that are harmful to aquatic life. The creation of the Blueway will restore the San Joaquin River and the lands along it, enhancing the river’s natural processes and improving water quality.