Rivers In Need Of Urgent Action

From outdated flood control schemes to harmful dams and mining projects, our nation’s rivers and clean water are at risk. Today, American Rivers released America’s Most Endangered Rivers: 2009 edition spotlighting ten rivers in need of urgent action.

Our nation is at a transformational moment when it comes to rivers and clean water. Water is life, yet our nation’s water infrastructure is so outdated that our clean drinking water, flood protection and river health face unprecedented threats. Our country needs the smart, cost-effective solutions for clean drinking water, flood protection and river health outlined in America’s Most Endangered Rivers that will bring us into the 21st century.

This year’s report highlights the sorry state of the nation’s water infrastructure — our drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems, and our dams and levees – and the need for green, 21st century investments to protect clean water, public health and safety, and the fish and wildlife that depend on healthy rivers.

Rivers in Alaska, California, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin are on the list this year.

Being named as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers is not an end for the river, but rather a beginning. With the listing comes a national spotlight and action from thousands of citizens across the country. These ten rivers have a chance to be reborn, and to serve as models for other rivers all across America.

The America’s Most Endangered Rivers report, now in its 24th year, highlights the rivers facing the most uncertain futures rather than those suffering from the worst chronic problems.  The report presents alternatives to proposals that would damage rivers, identifies those who make the crucial decisions, and points out opportunities for the public to take action on behalf of each listed river.

By: American Rivers President Rebecca Wodder