For many, many summers, we have taken our family canoeing on the beautiful lakes and rivers of Minnesota. We have our favorite spots. As sportsmen and women and members of the Izaak Walton League, we are especially proud of the role our organization has played in helping to protect this experience. You see, for the last few years, 51 percent of stream miles in Minnesota have been vulnerable to industrial pollution.

Those waterways not only give us incredible memories with our families, but also downstream drinking water, wildlife habitat and clean water for small businesses. Thanks to the hard work of the Izaak Walton League and many sportsmen, river groups, and conservation groups, the new Clean Water Rule from the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers restores protections to the head water streams and wetlands that feed these rivers and lakes — closing legal loopholes blown open by confusing Supreme Court rulings over the last few years. That means the water you pour your child or grandchild before bedtime is protected again. The lake where we fish every summer is protected again. The water we all count on is protected again. Our grandchildren are still very young, but in a short time we hope to share the joy of canoeing on Minnesota lakes and rivers with them. Tell Senator Franken and Klobuchar thanks for standing up to polluters and for our water.

Larry and Nancy Dolphin,

Austin