Under the 1972 Clean Water Act, federal lawmakers provided protections from pollution and development to "Waters of the United States." Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily archiveSeveral Colorado agencies have waded into the discussion of which waters the federal government should protect from pollution and development under the Clean Water Act. Despite having state protections, there are concerns with how the proposal could adversely affect arid, Western states and challenge state resources. “The ‘Waters of the United States’ rule matters in Colorado and in any other state, because it determines which waters deserve protection from pollution or industry discharge or construction,” said Sen. Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco. Jerry Neal/Colorado Parks and WildlifeEven if Colorado state law protects waters within the states, the reality is that state waters could be impacted by decisions made up and down stream.