The lawsuits have begun over the government’s latest attempt to define “waters of the U.S.,” with New Mexico ranchers and Chesapeake Bay conservationists challenging the recently published rule.

The Trump administration has released a replacement for the former “waters of the U.S.” rule that significantly reduces federal jurisdiction over streams and wetlands, triggering what almost certainly will be a series of protracted legal battles over the scope of the Clean Water Act.

The Trump administration is expected to soon release a new "waters of the U.S." rule redefining what streams and wetlands are regulated by the Clean Water Act, and some observers think the announcement could come this weekend when President Donald Trump speaks at the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual convention.

The Trump administration's proposed changes to the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) “decreases protection for our nation’s waters and does not support the objective of restoring and maintaining ‘the chemical, physical and biological integrity’ of these waters,” EPA’s Science Advisory Board said.

The rule replacing the 2015 definition of “waters of the U.S.” is expected in the next few months, but that doesn’t mean federal courts won’t have Clean Water Act cases to deal with in the meantime — and for years to come.

The Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers are formally repealing the 2015 “waters of the U.S.” rule in advance of publishing a new WOTUS rule around the end of the year.