Upthegrove votes to save one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers
March 10, 2020
Contact: Brandon Parsons (512) 517-4001
Seattle – American Rivers today praised the King County Flood Control District and Council Member Dave Upthegrove for voting to approve a forward-thinking vision to safeguard communities from flooding while simultaneously supporting other community needs including salmon and orca recovery in the Green-Duwamish River.
The adoption of a supplemental budget today solidifies this vision by doubling investments in salmon recovery, prioritizing multiple benefit projects and creating new grant programs to support urban streams, coastal erosion, and barriers to fish passage throughout all parts of the county.
In April 2019, American Rivers named the Green-Duwamish among America’s Most Endangered Rivers because of the threat that outdated flood management poses to salmon, wildlife and communities. In January, Council Member Upthegrove was appointed Chair of the Flood Control District, and pledged to oversee major reforms at the Flood Control District that are critical to saving the Green-Duwamish.
Reforms are intended to accomplish two fundamental goals:
- Strengthen the District’s commitment to habitat, salmon and Orca recovery, and other environmental benefits.
- Provide more opportunities for areas outside of major river corridors to benefit from the work of the district.
The District’s new budget contains critical funding priorities, including:
- Double funding for salmon recovery – from $4.8M to $9.6M.
- Providing new ongoing funding to address urban streams, barriers to fish passage and coastal erosion throughout all parts of the County.
Funding two immediate projects that provide essential fish habitat and enhanced flood protection.
More than $163 million has been invested to restore salmon habitat in the Green-Duwamish alone and over $1 billion will be invested in the Duwamish clean-up, fish passage at Howard Hanson Dam, and Lower Green River Corridor Flood Hazard Management Plan over the next 50 years. King County has committed to invest an additional $6 billion in the next decade to unify efforts to protect clean water and habitat throughout the region. Aligning the Flood Control District’s work with these existing programs is essential to tackling King County’s most complex environmental problems and is a smart use of taxpayer dollars.
Wendy McDermott, Director of the Puget Sound and Columbia River Basins at American Rivers, made the following statement:
“This is a major step forward for this endangered river, and it’s the kind of vision that could make the King County Flood Control District a national leader in innovative flood protection efforts. With river health at risk, salmon runs struggling and climate change adding new challenges, we must increase investments in salmon recovery and embrace multi-benefit flood protection solutions that restore habitat and protect water quality. We applaud Councilman Upthegrove for committing to these worthy goals.”
Read about the Green-Duwamish listing in America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2019: https://endangeredrivers.americanrivers.org/green-duwamish-river/
Northwest needs new thinking, collaborative solutions
February 25, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
Portland – This Friday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and Bonneville Power Administration will release a draft environmental impact statement addressing the latest plan for operations of the hydropower dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers. Five plans have failed already, rejected by courts as illegal and inadequate for saving endangered salmon, and the same fate likely awaits this one.
Wendy McDermott with American Rivers released the following statement:
“Salmon-dependent communities across the Pacific Northwest feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, reliving the same day over and over again. Here in the Northwest, we’re looking at yet another Snake River salmon recovery plan that will almost certainly fail and is unlikely to survive legal challenge. We’ve been at this for more than 20 years. With salmon facing extinction, isn’t it time for new solutions?”
“You can’t solve a problem if you are not analyzing the right questions to begin with. This environmental impact statement was never designed to address the complex challenges facing our region. It will not provide a comprehensive solution for our salmon, energy and agriculture needs, nor will it address how the federal government will uphold its obligation to Columbia River treaty tribes. But that’s the conversation that communities that depend on the benefits the Columbia and Snake Rivers are ready to have.”
We need to think bigger and more holistically. The region’s governors are spurring important dialogue about how we might reimagine our relationship with the Columbia and Snake rivers and ensure a future of abundant salmon, clean affordable energy and thriving agriculture. Key members of the Northwest Congressional delegation, who ultimately will need to craft a comprehensive legislative solution, are also supporting constructive conversations. We must keep these conversations going with an eye to inclusive solutions that move everyone forward together.”
“We share common values, and we can work together to address everyone’s needs. That’s why farmers are speaking up for salmon recovery. Fishermen are supporting upgrades to grain transportation. Businesses want investments in clean energy. We must focus on what connects us and commit to meeting the region’s energy, agricultural and conservation challenges together.”
February 16, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
Portland — Oregon has a distinguished reputation as a leader in protecting and restoring healthy rivers and wild salmon, and Governor Kate Brown continues to uphold and strengthen this legacy. Her February 11 letter to Washington Governor Jay Inslee demonstrates her strong commitment to recovering healthy, harvestable wild salmon in the Columbia-Snake rivers to benefit endangered Southern Resident orcas, and her leadership toward an inclusive regional solution that prioritizes clean, affordable energy and investments in agriculture and transportation infrastructure.
Wendy McDermott, Northwest Director for American Rivers made the following statement:
“Governor Brown is standing up for all of Oregon’s businesses, families and rural communities that depend on healthy, harvestable salmon runs. Her leadership has made Oregon a linchpin in achieving a comprehensive, lasting solution on the Columbia-Snake and for all of the communities that depend on these rivers.”
“Big, bold thinking has always defined our region. We need to tap into this same spirit to build the Pacific Northwest of the future with clean, affordable energy, thriving agriculture and abundant salmon. Governor Brown, Governor Inslee and our other Northwest leaders are vital to achieving this vision.”
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February 13, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday voted to protect more than 1,000 miles of rivers with Wild and Scenic River designations. The public lands legislation, Protecting America’s Wilderness Act (H.R. 2546), includes Wild and Scenic safeguards for rivers including the San Gabriel and important portions of the Trinity River watershed in California and the Queets, Sol Duc, and Elwha in Washington.
Bob Irvin, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:
“Clean, free-flowing rivers are vital for our drinking water supplies, strong local economies and a vibrant outdoor recreation industry. We applaud the House for its action, and thank Representative Huffman (CA-2), Representative Judy Chu (CA-27), Representative Carbajal (CA-24), and Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-6) for their leadership. We look forward to seeing the U.S. Senate take up these bills to protect outstanding rivers.”
“Protecting Wild and Scenic Rivers is an investment in our communities and our future. Every mile protected means cleaner water, more abundant wildlife, and more opportunities for people to connect with the outdoors.”
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90 Dams Removed Last Year to Revive Rivers and Strengthen Communities
February 13, 2020
Contact: Jessie Thomas-Blate, 609-658-4769; Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
Video: dam removal in the U.S.
List of dams removed in 2019
Database of all dam removals
Map of all dam removals
(Washington) – A record 26 states participated in removing dams to restore rivers in 2019, reviving ecosystems and communities across the nation, American Rivers announced today.
Ninety dams were removed in 2019, improving public safety for local communities and restoring fish, wildlife and river health. Communities in 26 states, working in partnership with non-profit organizations and state and federal agencies, removed the dams to reconnect more than 973 upstream river miles.
“More states than ever saw dam removals last year, which means more states than ever are seeing the benefits of healthy, free-flowing rivers,” said Bob Irvin, President and CEO of American Rivers.
“As we celebrate the progress made last year, we are working with our partners to grow the river restoration movement and accelerate the pace of dam removal nationwide. With floods and droughts increasing with climate change and many populations of fish and wildlife in decline, healthy free-flowing rivers have never been more important to our well-being and our future.”
Dams were removed in the following states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
In 2019, with the removal of 20 dams in the Cleveland National Forest alone, California had the highest number of dam removals for the second year in a row. The top four states removing dams in 2019 were:
- California – 23 dams removed
- Pennsylvania – 14 dams removed
- New Hampshire – 6 dams removed
- Vermont – 6 dams removed
American Rivers maintains the database of dam removals in the United States. It includes information on 1,722 dams that have been removed across the country since 1912. Most of those dams (1,476) were removed in the past 30 years.
One of the most cost-effective ways to deal with outdated, unsafe dams is to remove them. Removing dams allows rivers to flow naturally, which can have benefits for water quality, flood protection, fish and wildlife habitat, ecosystem health and recreation.
Factors that contributed to record state participation in dam removal and river restoration projects in 2019 include increased awareness about the ecological and community benefits of removing dams; efforts by American Rivers and others to train organizations and increase capacity to manage dam removal projects; and the cost of maintaining aging dams, which pose liability and safety hazards for their owners.
As part of its Free Rivers campaign, American Rivers released River Restoration Tools and Resources, a compilation of tools to aid practitioners and river advocates. Together with partners, American Rivers is scheduling workshops to bring together leading dam removal experts to create a vision and shared plan of action for river restoration nationwide.
HIGHLIGHTS OF DAM REMOVAL AND RIVER RESTORATION EFFORTS IN 2019 INCLUDE:
Howle and Turner Dam, Tallapoosa River, Alabama
In June 2019, Howle and Turner Dam was removed to improve water quality and create habitat for rare mussel species such as fine-lined pocketbook and delicate spike. The 16-foot high by 100-foot wide concrete and steel dam was located on the Tallapoosa River. The dam, originally built in 1935 to power a grist mill and cotton gin, outlived its original purpose. This project was the result of a partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife program and the Alabama Rivers and Streams Network. The Service coordinated the pre-restoration planning and worked with their Fisheries and Aquatic Conservation Aquatic Habitat Restoration Team to carry out the demolition and restoration of the river channel.
Contact: Eric Spadgenske, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 251-441-5872, eric_spadgenske@fws.gov
Saccarappa Dams 1 and 2, Presumpscot River, Maine
This project included the removal of two separate, adjacent dams on the Presumpscot River, both originally built in 1911 for hydroelectric power— the Saccarappa Dam 1 (12-foot tall by 239-foot long) and the Saccarappa Dam 2 (12-foot tall by 154-foot long). The goals of this project were the restoration of fish passage and productivity of fish populations, as well as improvements in the downtown area through expansion of the River Walk. Restoring the productivity of the fish populations in the Presumpscot is vital not just for those who fish along the river, but also for the health of the fishing industry in Casco Bay and the Gulf of Maine. Migratory fish found in the Presumpscot, including alewives and bluebacks, are critical bait for the lobster fishery and key to the entire food system. The removal of these dams opens up the longest and cleanest stretch of riverway in the most densely populated area of the state for the first time in two centuries and will greatly enhance the economic and recreational value of the river.
Contact: Barry Stemm, Sappi North America, 207-856-4584, barry.stemm@sappi.com
Jordan’s Point Dam, Maury River, Virginia
Jordan’s Point Dam (10-foot high by 180-foot wide) was a concrete dam built in 1911 in Lexington, VA on the Maury River. The dam had been a safety concern for the community since 2006, when a teenager drowned going over the dam into the hydraulic current. Prior to deconstruction, it was structurally compromised with many cracks, and had outlived its purpose of powering various mill operations. When the dam was first breached and the water level lowered during its removal, another timber crib dam was revealed and subsequently removed. This project improved river health and restored habitat along 1.2 miles of the Maury River. Additionally, the project removed a significant safety hazard and is expected to greatly benefit recreation and boost visitation to City Park.
Contact: Louise Finger, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 540-248-9378,louise.finger@dgif.virginia.gov
Cleveland National Forest Dam Removals, San Juan Creek, Holy Jim Creek and Silverado Creek, California:https://www.americanrivers.org/2019/09/a-programmatic-approach-to-dam-removal-and-river-restoration-cleveland-national-forest-ca/
Congaree Creek Dam, Congaree Creek, South Carolina:https://www.americanrivers.org/2019/11/congaree-creek-flowing-free-thanks-to-dam-removal/
Upper Eaton Dam and Lower Eaton Dam, First Branch White River, Vermont:https://www.americanrivers.org/2020/02/busting-dams-on-vermonts-white-river/
Scotland Pond Dam, Conococheague Creek, Pennsylvania:https://www.americanrivers.org/2020/02/cheers-to-greene-township-on-scotland-pond-dam-removal/
Statement of American Rivers President and CEO Bob Irvin
February 4, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that his water team has proposed a new framework for reaching an agreement among California cities, farms and conservation interests to restore fish and wildlife in the San Francisco Bay-Delta and its tributaries.
The proposal establishes a framework for Voluntary Agreements among water interests to work collaboratively to increase instream flows in the Sacramento/San Joaquin river system and the Delta, restore thousands of acres of habitat for fish and wildlife, and establish a science program to ensure results and help address scientific uncertainties. If successfully completed, the Voluntary Agreements would be evaluated by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, and if deemed adequate the SWRCB would adopt the VAs as part of the updated Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, mandated by the federal Clean Water Act and the state law to protect the beneficial uses of the Bay-Delta.
The framework and Voluntary Agreements are intended to break the logjam of rancorous debate and litigation that has frustrated state objectives to restore the ecological health of the Sacramento/San Joaquin and the Bay Delta, save the system’s critically endangered fish, and secure reliable water supplies for municipal and agricultural use. Since the adoption of the current Water Quality Control Plan, salmon and other native fish have continued to decline. Consequently, American Rivers believes it is time to try a new approach to protect the Bay-Delta.
Bob Irvin, President and CEO of American Rivers made the following statement:
“The framework announced by Governor Newsom is a promising step to save the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta system. With the prospect of years of litigation over a new Bay-Delta Plan and potentially decades of water rights adjudications, the people and the fish and wildlife of the Central Valley and the Bay Delta can’t afford to wait while the ecosystem continues to decline. While there remain significant and complicated issues to be resolved, we believe the framework for Voluntary Agreements has a much better chance of significantly improving conditions on a meaningful timeline for the people, fish and wildlife of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta system.”
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January 23, 2020
Contact: Chris Williams, 202-347-7550
The Trump Administration today announced the release of its Revised Definition of the Waters of the United States, a sweeping federal rule that drastically weakens the reach and authority of the Clean Water Act to protect the Nation’s rivers, small streams and wetlands.
In 2001 and 2006, two convoluted Supreme Court rulings created uncertainty about the extent of the Clean Water Act’s jurisdiction. The Obama administration engaged in a lengthy rulemaking process to clarify the authority of the Act to protect small streams and wetlands that are so important to river health and contribute to the drinking water supplies of two in three Americans. Following years of painstaking scientific, economic and legal analysis, hundreds of public meetings, and a comment period that produced over a million comments, the “Clean Water Rule” was adopted in 2015, reaffirming the Act’s broad authority “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.”
The Trump administration’s rule replaces the Clean Water Rule, undermining protection of rivers, wetlands, and clean water. It uproots decades of regulatory practice and judicial precedent with little public input and virtually no scientific analysis. It is setting aside the findings of over 1,200 peer-reviewed studies, collected in EPA’s own Connectivity Report, that demonstrate the vital importance of small streams and wetlands to the water quality, flow, and overall ecological health of larger rivers downstream. The rule deals a crippling blow to the Act’s authority to protect wetlands, excluding more than half of the nation’s wetlands from the Clean Water Act’s reach, and eliminating protection for almost 20% of the nation’s rivers and streams.
Bob Irvin, President and CEO of American Rivers made the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s Revised Definition of the Waters of the United States:
“The Trump administration’s Dirty Water Rule is an affront to the health and safety of hundreds of millions of people across the country who depend on rivers and streams for clean water. It is reckless and capricious, reversing the Clean Water Rule which was firmly based on sound legal and scientific analyses, extensive fact-finding and stakeholder input, and broad popular support.
President Trump has frequently said he wants ‘crystal clean water.’ This rule will result in dirty water, plain and simple.”
January 9, 2020
Contact: Sinjin Eberle, 720-373-0864
The Trump Administration today announced plans to significantly weaken implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), one of the nation’s bedrock environmental laws. Enacted in 1970, NEPA requires that federal agencies assess the environmental impacts of any federal or federally-funded project, such as the construction of a major pipeline or highway, and that the agency consider reasonable alternatives to the project as proposed that would reduce those impacts. The law’s requirements that the public be informed of the assessment and allowed to comment provide powerful opportunities for individuals and communities to voice concerns and provide input into agency decision-making. The Trump Administration’s proposed changes would undermine virtually every aspect of the Act.
Bob Irvin, President and CEO of American Rivers made the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act:
“The National Environmental Policy Act tells us to “Look before you leap.” The Trump administration wants us to bury our heads in the sand and ignore potential harm to the water we drink and the air we breathe.
NEPA is a cornerstone environmental law, based on the common-sense notion that, before we build a highway through a neighborhood or permit a new power plant that pollutes our air and water, we should know the impacts that these federal projects and actions will have on the nation’s land, air, and water, and consider less harmful alternatives. The Trump administration’s proposals to hamstring the law – curtailing public participation, redefining “major federal action” to eliminate NEPA review of a huge swath of federally funded and permitted activities, ending the requirement to consider the cumulative impacts of multiple projects, allowing federal agencies to completely ignore climate change – defy common sense.
For fifty years, NEPA has prevented immeasurable damage to America’s environment and the health of our citizens. We will fight this effort to undermine those protections.”
American Rivers statement
December 20, 2019
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
Seattle — Washington Governor Jay Inslee today released a report detailing findings from the Lower Snake River Dams Stakeholder Process. The effort has engaged local, state, tribal and federal leaders and stakeholders around addressing issues associated with the possible breaching or removal of the lower Snake River dams in order to recover the Chinook salmon populations that serve as a vital food source for Southern Resident orcas.
Wendy McDermott, Director of the Columbia River and Puget Sound basins for American Rivers, made the following statement:
“This report and the governor’s stakeholder process remind us of our shared values — the desire for continued prosperity and growth, love of place, and respect for our neighbors up and downriver.
We want a future with clean energy, thriving agriculture, and salmon runs that honor tribal treaty rights and support strong communities. These opportunities are all connected, and it’s time to come together around collaborative solutions that move everyone forward together.
Big, inspired thinking has always defined our region. The dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers were built with lofty goals for social and economic empowerment across the Pacific Northwest. It is this same sense of pride and determination that we must tap into now, as we write the next chapter for this place we call home.”
Grant will advance four priority dam removal projects
December 11, 2019
Contact:
Amy Kober, American Rivers, 503-708-1145
Seattle – Recovery of Pacific Northwest Chinook salmon runs will get a major boost, thanks to a grant of $1.4 million from The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to American Rivers.
The grant will facilitate the removal of four dams in Oregon, restoring more than 26 miles of habitat for Chinook salmon and 129 miles of habitat for other fish species in the next three years. The dams block fish from migrating to and from spawning grounds and harm the natural habitat and water quality that salmon and other fish and wildlife need to survive. Southern Resident killer whales (orcas), which range from Puget Sound to Oregon, are facing a crisis because of a lack of Chinook salmon, their primary food source.
The projects will have additional benefits including recreational improvements, development of a park, visitor access and educational outreach.
“We are grateful for the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation’s vision and leadership. Thanks to this generous support, we can continue to work across the region to restore the healthy, free-flowing rivers that are essential to the future of our salmon, orcas and communities,” said Wendy McDermott with American Rivers.
The grant will also support American Rivers in building capacity for river restoration region-wide, so that high-quality and community-supported dam removal projects in the Northwest can be identified and implemented more quickly in order to support habitat restoration and recovery.
“As we’ve seen with other dam removal projects here in the Northwest and nationwide, rivers are remarkably resilient. Our rivers will come back to life and our salmon will rebound, if we remove outdated dams and improve infrastructure. Restoring these rivers is an investment in this special place we all call home,” said McDermott.
“These four projects provide a near-term opportunity for a measurable increase in salmon habitat, bringing ecological benefit while also supporting communities,” said Anji Moraes on behalf of The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. “The survival of Southern Resident Orcas requires that our region pursue solutions to increase Chinook availability.”
American Rivers worked with partners to identify priority dam removal projects that can be completed in the next three years. Funding from The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation will make it possible to:
- Increase access to 13 miles of habitat for Chinook salmon on Williams Creek, a tributary of the Rogue River, by removing Lower Bridgepoint Dam
- Restore 6 miles of Chinook salmon habitat and 60 miles of steelhead habitat in Evans Creek, a tributary of the Rogue River, by removing Wimer Covered Bridge Dam
- Restore 2 miles of Chinook salmon habitat in Kelley Creek, a tributary to Portland’s Johnson Creek, by removing the Kelley Creek Dam
- Restore 5 miles of Chinook salmon habitat in the North Fork Klaskanine, a tributary to Young’s River and the Columbia River, by removing the North Fork Klaskanine Dam
Salmon and steelhead are central to the Pacific Northwest’s cultures, identity, economy and environment. These fish bring rich, marine nutrients upriver to Northwest forests and provide sustenance for iconic species, including orcas. Thousands of dams across the region have cut off habitat for Chinook and other salmon runs. Without abundant Chinook runs, orcas are starving, the region’s indigenous people are denied a central component of their culture and well-being, and communities across the region are suffering.
American Rivers began a partnership in 2017 with The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, City of Bellingham, and others to remove the Middle Fork Nooksack Diversion Dam near Deming, Washington. The project, which will restore 16 miles of habitat for Chinook, while maintaining Bellingham’s supplemental water supply among other important benefits, is scheduled to begin construction in 2020.
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AMERICAN RIVERS
American Rivers believes every community in our country should have clean water and a healthy river. Since 1973, we have been protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers and conserving clean water for people and nature. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., and offices across the country, we are the most effective river conservation organization in the United States, delivering solutions that will last for generations to come.
The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
Launched in 1988 by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and his sister Jody Allen, The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation is dedicated to changing the trajectory of some of the world’s toughest problems as well as strengthening communities through catalytic philanthropy.
November 25, 2019
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
Bob Irvin, President of American Rivers, released the following statement on the passing of Director Emeritus Claude Terry, one of the founders of American Rivers, and a lifelong champion for river conservation:
“Claude is a river hero, one of the great champions of the conservation movement. Claude was instrumental in protecting rivers in the Southeast, from the Chattahoochee to the Chattooga. As a founder of American Rivers he has had a positive impact on rivers nationwide.”
“Claude was a friend and supporter of American Rivers for our entire 47 year history. He was an inspiration and source of wise advice for me and other American Rivers staff. We recognized his ongoing service to our organization by naming him a Director Emeritus in 2018.”
“We can all benefit from Claude’s example of working tirelessly for clean water, healthy rivers and wild places, while also remembering to get out and enjoy the rivers we love.”
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Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge advances coastal resilience, habitat and recreation opportunities
November 12, 2019
Contact: Janae Davis, Winyah Bay Coordinator, American Rivers
(843) 999-0182, jdavis@americanrivers.org
Craig Sasser, Refuge Manager, Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge
(843)527-8069, marshall_sasser@fws.gov
Communities in coastal South Carolina will benefit from innovative land protections, announced by the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge and partners today. Modification to the refuge’s boundary, made in collaboration with local landowners, will ensure sensitive lands are protected and able to absorb floodwaters, which are intensifying with increasingly severe storms and hurricanes. The Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge is the first refuge in the country to use minor boundary modification as an effective approach for conservation and climate resilience.
The Waccamaw’s Minor Boundary Modification will add 6,638 acres of land that have been identified through scientific modeling as key areas to promote coastal resilience and increase wildlife and recreation management opportunities. The modification will remove 6,849 acres of land from the refuge’s current boundary that have not been acquired and no longer offer wildlife habitat, or are unavailable for acquisition.
“We applaud the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge for its leadership,” said Gerrit Jobsis with American Rivers. “Communities will benefit from the refuge’s vision as protected lands continue to ensure clean drinking water, safeguards against flood damage, and public access to some of the Lowcountry’s most treasured landscapes.”
Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge Manager, Craig Sasser, and a team of service staff and key partners developed the innovative proposal to allow the refuge to modify rather than expand its boundary. Using a collaborative process called a Landscape Conservation Design, Sasser worked with American Rivers, The Nature Conservancy and Friends of Coastal South Carolina to look into every possible option for acquiring critical habitat without expanding the refuge boundary.
“We could have never accomplished this monumental effort without the support and collaboration of so many partners” said Sasser. After 10 years of arduous planning, a pilot boundary modification program was approved to move forward. An additional year was spent developing an Environmental Assessment and Land Protection Plan. Sasser and refuge partners’ hard work paid off in October 2019 when the boundary modification was approved by US Fish and Wildlife Regional Director, Leopoldo Miranda.
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