Complex sentence: The Magnolia River continues to be an important resource for this area's residents, which is why they were, as of 2007, seeking to have it named as an Outstanding Alabama Water, which is the state's highest environmental protection status.
Split into simpler sentences: The Magnolia River continues to be an important resource for this area's residents. As of 2007, activists were seeking to have it named as an Outstanding Alabama Water, which is the state's highest environmental protection status.