Media Items Archive

Investment in affordable clean energy alternatives will allow for dam removal and river restoration.

Contact: Kyle Smith, American Rivers, 541-729-5830

Washington — American Rivers today named the Snake River among America’s Most Endangered Rivers®, citing the threat that the four lower Snake River dams pose to endangered salmon, climate resilience, and the region’s Tribal Nations. American Rivers and partners called on Congress and the Biden administration to act with urgency and invest in clean energy infrastructure so that the four lower Snake dams can be removed.

“This is our moment to turn a staggering crisis into a transformational opportunity,” said Kyle Smith with American Rivers. “We can set the Northwest on a course to economic strength, cultural revitalization, and security in the face of climate change.”

“But the clock is ticking and salmon are slipping toward extinction. We need these investments and actions now.”

The four dams on eastern Washington’s lower Snake River have contributed to dramatic decreases in the basin’s salmon and steelhead populations, with all four Snake Basin salmon and steelhead populations listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The dams have had disastrous impacts on the cultures and livelihoods of Tribal Nations across the region. The lack of salmon as a source of both food and culture has been devastating, and the U.S. is failing to uphold treaties and fulfill commitments to Northwest Tribal Nations.

Scientists agree that dam removal is the cornerstone of any effective salmon recovery plan. But since the lower Snake dams provide critical irrigation, transportation, and hydropower generation, these services must be replaced. American Rivers called on Congress and the Biden administration to prioritize these investments, including investments in native-led clean energy efforts.

“Infrastructure investment and river restoration is the launching point for a stronger Pacific Northwest,” said Smith. “We are demanding that our leaders prioritize affordable clean energy, and irrigation and transportation services, along with river restoration, so that all of the Snake River’s communities can thrive into the future.”

The Snake River begins high in the mountains of Wyoming and flows for more than 1,000 miles before merging with the Columbia River at the Tri-Cities in eastern Washington. As the largest tributary of the Columbia, the Snake once produced 40 percent of the prized Chinook salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin. Each year, fewer Snake River salmon complete the return trip from the ocean in what remains the longest distance, highest elevation salmon migration on earth. The Snake River and its main tributaries once produced 2 to 6 million salmon and steelhead every year. As a keystone species, these fish support the entire food web from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, including at least 135 species, from eagles to salamanders to endangered Southern Resident killer whales. Salmon are at the heart of the cultures of Northwest Tribal Nations—integral to religion, identity, and physical sustenance.

The annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers report is a list of rivers at a crossroads, where key decisions in the coming months will determine the rivers’ fates. Over the years, the report has helped spur many successes including the removal of outdated dams, the protection of rivers with Wild and Scenic designations, and the prevention of harmful development and pollution.

America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2023

Colorado River, Grand Canyon (Arizona):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated water management
AT RISK: Ecosystem health, reliable water delivery, regional economy

Ohio River (Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois):

THREAT: Pollution, climate change
AT RISK: Clean water for 5 million people

Pearl River (Mississippi):

THREAT: Dredging and dam construction
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, local and downstream communities, fish and wildlife habitat

Snake River (Idaho, Oregon, Washington):

THREAT: Four federal dams
AT RISK: Tribal treaty rights and culture, endangered salmon runs, rural and local communities

Clark Fork River (Montana):

THREAT: Pulp mill pollution
AT RISK: Public health, fish and wildlife

Eel River (California):

THREAT: Dams
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife, tribal culture and sustenance

Lehigh River (Pennsylvania):

THREAT: Poorly planned development
AT RISK: Clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, rural and local communities, open space

Chilkat and Klehini rivers (Alaska):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Bald eagle, fish, and wildlife habitat, tribal culture and sustenance

Rio Gallinas (New Mexico):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated forest and watershed management
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, farming, watershed functionality

Okefenokee Swamp (Georgia, Florida):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife habitat, wetlands, water quality and flow

About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit AmericanRivers.org 

Dam and development scheme would worsen Jackson’s drinking water and flooding problems

Contact: Olivia Dorothy, American Rivers, 217-390-3658

Washington — American Rivers today named the Pearl River among America’s Most Endangered Rivers®, citing the threat that a private real estate development scheme poses to one of the most biodiverse rivers in the U.S. and the primary drinking water source for Jackson, Mississippi. American Rivers and partners called on the Biden Administration to stop the project and invest in environmentally-sustainable flood relief for the predominantly Black community of Jackson while protecting the Pearl River and all the communities and economies that rely on it.

“The One Lake project is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. No matter how promoters dress it up, this project would damage river health and worsen Jackson’s flooding and drinking water crisis,” said Olivia Dorothy with American Rivers. “Instead of lining the pockets of private real estate developers, our leaders must deliver real drinking water and flood protection solutions for the people of Jackson.”

The Pearl River is threatened by a real estate development scheme masquerading as a flood control project. This “One Lake” project would dredge and dam the Pearl River to create new waterfront property, destroying vital fish and wildlife habitat, worsening Jackson’s flooding and drinking water crisis, increasing toxic contamination, and reducing freshwater flows critical to the region’s important seafood and tourism economies.

“Downstream communities and industries that depend on the Pearl River will pay the price if One Lake moves forward,” said Martha Watts, Mayor of Monticello, MS. “The project would expose toxic pollution, threaten the integrity of municipal infrastructure, like bridges and drinking water supplies, and interfere with permitted businesses already working on the river.”

The project would dredge 10-miles of the Pearl River, destroying 2,500 acres of mostly wetland habitat and disturbing eight highly contaminated toxic sites with no plan to protect public health. A new dam would be constructed to contain the dredged 1,900-acre impoundment, and the dredged material will be used to build new waterfront property for real estate development putting more people in harm’s way of flooding.

The project would worsen Jackson’s significant urban flash flooding and stormwater drainage problems, permanently elevating water levels in eight tributary creeks that flow through primarily low-income Black neighborhoods. One Lake would add to the city’s drinking water and water quality problems, including the discharge of billions of gallons of untreated and poorly treated sewage that has already closed the Pearl to public contact recreation in the Jackson area.

“The One Lake project will cause irrevocable damage to the Pearl River ecosystem in the project area and downstream,” said Abby Braman, Pearl Riverkeeper. “Dredging will destroy almost 2000 acres of wetlands, and damage habitat for two threatened species and the new dam will complicate existing flash flooding along Jackson’s urban creeks.”

While the Army Corps is currently reviewing the environmental documents developed by the private interests and has yet to decide whether the project merits moving forward, the agency has already committed $221 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to construct the project. American Rivers and partners called on the Army Corps, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to reject the project, and instead prioritize natural infrastructure solutions to provide effective, environmentally-sustainable flood relief to Jackson while protecting the river’s unique ecology and wildlife.

The Pearl River is the only public drinking water source for the city of Jackson, which includes 150,000 residents, 83 percent of whom are Black. The city has struggled for decades to maintain basic water and sewer service and is currently under an Environmental Protection Administration consent decree to enforce established rules and regulations due to sewage discharge violations in the billions of gallons annually. In 2022 the city’s residents were left without clean drinking water for months when one of the City’s two drinking water treatment plants failed.

From its headwaters on native Choctaw lands, the Pearl River flows nearly 500-miles through Mississippi and Louisiana to the Gulf of Mexico. The Pearl River provides habitat for more than 300 species of birds, fish and wildlife, including the federally threatened Gulf sturgeon and ringed sawback turtle, and 125,000 acres of wetland and bottomland hardwood conservation lands. The Pearl supplies freshwater flows critical to the health of the Gulf of Mexico; the region’s oyster, crab, shrimp and tourism industries; and hundreds of industrial and municipal users.

The Pearl River was listed among America’s Most Endangered Rivers in 2015 and 2008. Other rivers in the region listed as endangered in recent years include Turkey Creek (2012), Big Sunflower (2018, 2020), and Pascagoula (2009, 2016).

America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2023

Colorado River, Grand Canyon (Arizona):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated water management
AT RISK: Ecosystem health, reliable water delivery, regional economy

Ohio River (Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois):

THREAT: Pollution, climate change
AT RISK: Clean water for 5 million people

Pearl River (Mississippi):

THREAT: Dredging and dam construction
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, local and downstream communities, fish and wildlife habitat

Snake River (Idaho, Oregon, Washington):

THREAT: Four federal dams
AT RISK: Tribal treaty rights and culture, endangered salmon runs, rural and local communities

Clark Fork River (Montana):

THREAT: Pulp mill pollution
AT RISK: Public health, fish and wildlife

Eel River (California):

THREAT: Dams
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife, tribal culture and sustenance

Lehigh River (Pennsylvania):

THREAT: Poorly planned development
AT RISK: Clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, rural and local communities, open space

Chilkat and Klehini rivers (Alaska):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Bald eagle, fish, and wildlife habitat, tribal culture and sustenance

Rio Gallinas (New Mexico):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated forest and watershed management
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, farming, watershed functionality

Okefenokee Swamp (Georgia, Florida):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife habitat, wetlands, water quality and flow

Mining threatens clean water, wildlife habitat in national treasure

Contact:
Ben Emanuel, American Rivers, 706-340-8868
Rena Ann Peck, Executive Director, Georgia River Network, 404-395-6250, rena@garivers.org

Washington — American Rivers today named Georgia and Florida’s Okefenokee Swamp among America’s Most Endangered Rivers®, citing the threat that a proposed heavy mineral sands mine poses to this critically important wetland ecosystem. American Rivers and partners called on the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to deny the permits for the mine in order to preserve clean water, wildlife habitat, and natural and cultural heritage.

“Some places are simply too special and should be off-limits to pollution and harmful development,” said Ben Emanuel, Southeast Conservation Director with American Rivers. “The Okefenokee Swamp is one of those places. The state of Georgia must do the right thing and stop the mine that would devastate the clean water and wildlife habitat of this national treasure.”

Both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Environmental Protection Agency predict that the proposed mine, located within three miles of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and designed to extract titanium bearing minerals, would result in “permanent” and “unacceptable” damage to the Okefenokee Swamp, a unique wetland nearly half a million acres in size and home to alligators, carnivorous plants, an abundance of birds, several threatened and endangered species, and the Florida black bear.

Independent hydrologists who have reviewed the proposed mining operation predict that the mine will lower water levels in the swamp by pumping millions of gallons of water from the aquifer that underlies the swamp and by altering the hydrology of Trail Ridge, a sandy rise of land that serves to regulate water levels in the swamp.

“People across the state and nation, including Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, have called on Georgia’s leaders to stop this mine,” said Rena Peck, Executive Director of Georgia River Network. “The Okefenokee is an irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind wilderness; it should not be risked to obtain common minerals that can be more safely secured elsewhere.”

More than 160,000 individual comments opposing the mine have been generated through the advocacy of the Okefenokee Protection Alliance and Georgia Water Coalition, which represent some 300 organizations. Recent polling shows that more than 70 percent of Georgia voters oppose the mine.

American Rivers and partners called on the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to deny all permits that would enable the proposed mine to be built. American Rivers also called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to do its duty and re-engage as the proper authority over permitting decisions regarding the proposed mine.

The Okefenokee Swamp is part of the ancestral lands of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. A unique international treasure, it is a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site. Uncompromised by agriculture or industrial development, the swamp is one of the world’s healthiest large-scale freshwater ecosystems. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge—the largest national wildlife refuge in the eastern United States—receives an average of 600,000 visits annually. In addition to more than $50 million in local spending annually, Okefenokee Swamp tourism supports an estimated 826 jobs and $17.5 million in employment income.

The Okefenokee Swamp was listed among America’s Most Endangered Rivers in 2020. Other rivers in the region listed as endangered in recent years include the Ocklawaha (2020) and the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin (2016).

America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2023

Colorado River, Grand Canyon (Arizona):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated water management
AT RISK: Ecosystem health, reliable water delivery, regional economy

Ohio River (Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois):

THREAT: Pollution, climate change
AT RISK: Clean water for 5 million people

Pearl River (Mississippi):

THREAT: Dredging and dam construction
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, local and downstream communities, fish and wildlife habitat

Snake River (Idaho, Oregon, Washington):

THREAT: Four federal dams
AT RISK: Tribal treaty rights and culture, endangered salmon runs, rural and local communities

Clark Fork River (Montana):

THREAT: Pulp mill pollution
AT RISK: Public health, fish and wildlife

Eel River (California):

THREAT: Dams
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife, tribal culture and sustenance

Lehigh River (Pennsylvania):

THREAT: Poorly planned development
AT RISK: Clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, rural and local communities, open space

Chilkat and Klehini rivers (Alaska):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Bald eagle, fish, and wildlife habitat, tribal culture and sustenance

Rio Gallinas (New Mexico):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated forest and watershed management
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, farming, watershed functionality

Okefenokee Swamp (Georgia, Florida):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife habitat, wetlands, water quality and flow

Contact:

Rachel Ellis, American Rivers, Southwest River Protection Program, rellis@americanrivers.org; 505-699-4746
Lea Knutson, Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance, lknutson@hermitspeakwatersheds.org; 505-617-1360
Max Trujillo, HECHO and San Miguel County Commissioner, max@hechoonline.org; 505-617-1851
William Gonzales, Rio Gallinas Acequia Association and New Mexico Acequia Commissioner, wilogonzales@yahoo.com; 505-660-6535
Ralph Vigil, New Mexico Wild and New Mexico Acequia Commission Chairman, ralph@nmwild.org; 505-603-2879

American Rivers has named the Rio Gallinas among America’s Most Endangered Rivers®, most notably for the consequences of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire and associated outdated agency protocols for forest management, prescribed burning, and watershed management. These factors pose serious threats to local drinking water, traditional acequia agriculture, and long-term watershed health. The Rio Gallinas flows through New Mexico from the east side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and provides water to the town of Las Vegas, NM. It is a vital tributary to the Pecos River and is home to a rich array of wildlife and supports both recreational and traditional uses.

“The Rio Gallinas faces numerous threats, including drought, reduced snowpack, and the myriad consequences from the fire. If we want to heal the Rio Gallinas and protect it in the future, the state and federal agencies must develop a long-term management approach that is community-driven, locally appropriate, and includes nature-based solutions,” said American Rivers Associate Director of the Southwest River Protection Program, Rachel Ellis.

New Mexico’s waterways are among the most vulnerable in the United State and the Rio Gallinas is a textbook case for the adverse impacts of climate change on Southwestern watersheds. “Without a strong connection to its floodplain and with a loss of wetlands, the Rio Gallinas is experiencing a deficiency in natural water storage that mitigates floods and helps maintain flows during drought” states Lea Knutson of Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance. “Drinking water, farming, fish, wildlife, and overall watershed functions are at risk.”

The river has been devastated in the aftermath of the largest fire in New Mexico history, the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire. In 2022, this fire devastated 341,735 acres, including a majority of the upper Rio Gallinas watershed. The fire was sparked by two United States Forest Service prescribed burns that merged. The final report cited the destruction of over 900 structures, including 300 homes and multiple acequias. The fire and ensuing floods contaminated water sources watershed-wide and resulted in drinking water emergencies and mandatory water cuts. The surrounding communities and environment will continue to experience long-term impacts from flooding, water quality degradation, loss of vegetation, and decreased soil stability because of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire.

“The fire last year was catastrophic, and we can’t afford to have something like this happen again,” said Max Trujillo. Trujillo, a San Miguel County Commissioner and senior New Mexico Field Coordinator for HECHO, continued, “we need our federal and state agencies to establish stronger policies and protocols for engaging with the local community around watershed management and prescribed burning.”

Modernizing forest management policies and protocols is essential to improving watershed health. The lack of government agency collaboration and community engagement are hindering efforts to save the Rio Gallinas. Federal and state agencies, including the Santa Fe National Forest, Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) Forestry Division, and New Mexico Environment Department are being asked to come together with the local community and local watershed organizations for the first annual New Mexico Fire and Water Summit in the Summer of 2023. The goal of the Summit is to create a long-term management and mitigation plan for the Rio Gallinas watershed.

“The Rio Gallinas and the acequias and communities that depend on it are resilient. But if we want the Gallinas to continue providing for us, our children, and our grandchildren we must collaborate in a manner that benefits the entire Rio Gallinas watershed,” said William Gonzales of the Rio Gallinas Acequia Association and New Mexico Acequia Commission.

Other rivers in the region listed as Most Endangered in past years include the Colorado River (2022), Pecos River (2021), and Gila River (2019).

America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2023

Colorado River, Grand Canyon (Arizona):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated water management
AT RISK: Ecosystem health, reliable water delivery, regional economy

Ohio River (Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois):

THREAT: Pollution, climate change
AT RISK: Clean water for 5 million people

Pearl River (Mississippi):

THREAT: Dredging and dam construction
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, local and downstream communities, fish and wildlife habitat

Snake River (Idaho, Oregon, Washington):

THREAT: Four federal dams
AT RISK: Tribal treaty rights and culture, endangered salmon runs, rural and local communities

Clark Fork River (Montana):

THREAT: Pulp mill pollution
AT RISK: Public health, fish and wildlife

Eel River (California):

THREAT: Dams
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife, tribal culture and sustenance

Lehigh River (Pennsylvania):

THREAT: Poorly planned development
AT RISK: Clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, rural and local communities, open space

Chilkat and Klehini rivers (Alaska):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Bald eagle, fish, and wildlife habitat, tribal culture and sustenance

Rio Gallinas (New Mexico):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated forest and watershed management
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, farming, watershed functionality

Okefenokee Swamp (Georgia, Florida):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife habitat, wetlands, water quality and flow

Contact:

Lisa Ronald, Western Montana Associate Conservation Director, American Rivers lronald@americanrivers.org, 406-317-7757
Karen Knudsen, Executive Director, Clark Fork Coalition

American Rivers has named the Clark Fork River among America’s Most Endangered Rivers®, citing industrial pollution from a shuttered pulp mill that threatens the river’s recovery from a hard-working past. The Clark Fork flows more than 300 miles through an area of ancestral and continuing importance to the Salish and Kalispel peoples. The river supplies habitat for diverse fish and wildlife species and drinking water and irrigation for local communities. It is the engine of the region’s agricultural and outdoor economies.

Today, the defunct Smurfit-Stone pulp mill and its unlined and unsafe waste dumps sit downstream of Missoula in the Clark Fork’s active floodplain, leaking toxic chemicals and heavy metals into groundwater that is connected to the river. Fish in this reach of the Clark Fork are considered too contaminated to safely consume. And although the mill has been closed for 13 years, and International Paper and WestRock are financially responsible for the costs of cleanup, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has yet to tackle the problem – despite compelling evidence that cleanup of the most contaminated part of the site should start immediately.

“Missoula, downstream communities, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes deserve clean water and edible fish. Cleaning up Smurfit-Stone is not just the right thing to do, it’s a smart economic decision since cleanup now is less expensive than cleanup after a disaster,” said American Rivers Western Montana Associate Conservation Director Lisa Ronald.

Forming the eastern headwaters of the Columbia Basin, the Clark Fork is Montana’s largest river by volume. It rises out of mountains along the Continental Divide near Butte and captures water from 28,000 miles of creeks and streams on its journey to Idaho’s largest natural lake, Lake Pend Oreille. It is a regional boating and angling destination and is home to native westslope cutthroat trout and threatened bull trout.

“The Clark Fork River is in the heart of our ancestral homelands, but it’s like being punched in the gut when you have something like Smurfit in that location. We want to restore the floodplain, reclaim lost pieces of our culture, and honor our treaty and our ancestors,” said Council Chairman for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Tom McDonald.

Between 1957 and 2010, the Smurfit-Stone pulp mill created pulp from woodchips and then produced rolls of kraft linerboard for cardboard boxes, some of which it bleached. The process generated a tremendous amount of chemicals and hazardous substances, which were either discharged directly into the Clark Fork, held temporarily in riverside settling ponds, or buried in unlined sludge ponds, waste dumps, and landfills. These waste management areas span roughly 1,000 acres of the site, though it’s the roughly 140 acres of buried sludge and industrial refuse that make up the most acutely problematic part of the site.

The rest of the waste management area – the 900 acres of settling ponds – are separated from the Clark Fork River by an unengineered, unpermitted gravel berm. Because it hasn’t been maintained since the mill shuttered in 2010, annual spring runoff and periodic flooding continue to erode the berm each year. A catastrophic flood, such as one like the Yellowstone River flood of 2022, would likely fully inundate or collapse the berm and pull industrial pollutants into the river and downstream.

“One of the biggest environmental concerns we have is that there will be a 100-year, 300-year, or 500-year flood that will take out the berms and potentially create a colossal catastrophic environmental nightmare in the Clark Fork drainage and watershed,” said Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier. “Right now, the berms are the only line of defense that keeps the Clark Fork River under extreme flood conditions from scouring out contaminants.”

To prevent catastrophic flooding and ongoing pollution of groundwater that’s connected to the river, the EPA must should direct International Paper and WestRock to clean up the roughly 140 acres of contaminated waste dumps. Additionally, EPA should conduct supplemental groundwater, soil, and wildlife exposure testing to better characterize the source and pathways of pollutants and develop a thorough and comprehensive cleanup that results in a river that is reconnected with its floodplain. The EPA has the authority through the Superfund process to require these cleanup actions.

“The Clark Fork Coalition and many others have worked hard to heal the scars of the Clark Fork River’s hardworking past, but a major wrench in recovery is the shuttered Smurfit-Stone mill,” said Executive Director of the Clark Fork Coalition Karen Knudsen. “Our community wants to do right by its river. It’s been 13 years since the Smurfit-Stone mill closed, and the time for cleanup is now.”

Other rivers in the region listed as most endangered in past years include the Smith River (2018 & 2016), Middle Fork Flathead River (2017) and Kootenai River (2013).

America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2023

Colorado River, Grand Canyon (Arizona):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated water management
AT RISK: Ecosystem health, reliable water delivery, regional economy

Ohio River (Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois):

THREAT: Pollution, climate change
AT RISK: Clean water for 5 million people

Pearl River (Mississippi):

THREAT: Dredging and dam construction
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, local and downstream communities, fish and wildlife habitat

Snake River (Idaho, Oregon, Washington):

THREAT: Four federal dams
AT RISK: Tribal treaty rights and culture, endangered salmon runs, rural and local communities

Clark Fork River (Montana):

THREAT: Pulp mill pollution
AT RISK: Public health, fish and wildlife

Eel River (California):

THREAT: Dams
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife, tribal culture and sustenance

Lehigh River (Pennsylvania):

THREAT: Poorly planned development
AT RISK: Clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, rural and local communities, open space

Chilkat and Klehini rivers (Alaska):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Bald eagle, fish, and wildlife habitat, tribal culture and sustenance

Rio Gallinas (New Mexico):

THREAT: Climate change, outdated forest and watershed management
AT RISK: Clean drinking water, farming, watershed functionality

Okefenokee Swamp (Georgia, Florida):

THREAT: Mining
AT RISK: Fish and wildlife habitat, wetlands, water quality and flow

American Rivers statement

Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145

For the first time since 2018, the US Bureau of Reclamation has authorized a High Flow Experiment to be conducted from Glen Canyon Dam into the Grand Canyon. The agency announced today that this high flow, lasting roughly 72 hours at a volume of 39,500 cubic feet per second, will be conducted starting in the early morning of Monday, April 24 and lasting through the evening of Thursday, April 27.

High Flow Experiments are one of the best tools available to improve ecological conditions within Grand Canyon. These short duration, high flows through the canyon mobilize sand and move it downstream, rebuilding beaches and sandbars, scouring encroaching vegetation, and improving aquatic habitat for fish and insect life.

Sinjin Eberle with American Rivers made the following statement:

“The health of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon has suffered for years due to the impacts of dams, strained river management, and drought. We applaud the Bureau of Reclamation for taking this critical step toward improving the health the Grand Canyon’s ecological and cultural resources. The Grand Canyon is an iconic treasure, sacred to the eleven tribes deeply connected with this place, and we must prioritize its restoration as we work more broadly to solve the basin’s water crisis.”

Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145

Today, the Senate voted 53-43 on a bill (H.J. Res. 27/S.J. Res. 7), also known as the Waters of the U.S. Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution, that would invalidate the Biden administration’s Clean Water Restoration Rule, which clarifies the Clean Water Act’s “waters of the United States” and provides a balanced, science-based approach to protecting small streams and wetlands.

Earlier this month, the House advanced the resolution through the CRA process, a legislative tool for Congress to overturn final rules issued by the federal agencies, to invalidate the rule and prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers to implement water protections.

Small streams make up at least 80 percent of the nation’s network of waterways. They are vital sources of drinking water, critical to the health of communities and ecosystems. Overturning federal protections for small streams and wetlands would make them vulnerable to pollution and destructive development, with potentially disastrous impacts to water quality, groundwater recharge, flood protection, and habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife.

Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:

“Too many communities across our country are threatened with polluted water. Too many species of fish, birds, and wildlife are at the brink of extinction because of habitat destruction. Now is not the time to roll back safeguards for clean water and rivers, or create more loopholes for polluters.”

“The Biden administration’s rule provides a science-based approach that recognizes the common sense fact that pollution upstream can have downstream impacts. Overturning the rule would open streams and wetlands to pollution and destruction. It would threaten the water supplies for millions of Americans and cause far-reaching harm to the rivers on which all life depends.”

“The Waters of the U.S. CRA aims to weaken bedrock protections under the Clean Water Act, our nation’s primary law governing federal water pollution. We now call on President Biden to veto the Waters of the U.S. CRA and uphold the administration’s Clean Water Restoration Rule.”

Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145

A chemical spill in Bristol, PA into a tributary of the Delaware River has threatened drinking water for close to one million people, including communities in Philadelphia, PA and Camden, NJ. On Sunday, residents were cautioned against drinking tap water. Some of the chemicals in the spill are the same as those released into the Ohio River during the train derailment in New Palestine, Ohio.

Gary Belan, Senior Director for Clean Water at American Rivers, made the following statement:

“Our health is connected to the health of our rivers. Any threat to a river and drinking water source is ultimately a threat to our own health and well-being. Chemical spills are alarming and demand immediate attention and action. The impacts must be monitored closely, and those responsible for impacts must be held accountable.”

“The Delaware River is a regional and national treasure. American Rivers named the Delaware ‘River of the Year’ in 2020 to honor the excellent progress in river restoration and water quality. When it comes to the river’s health, we must not go backwards. A healthy Delaware River is essential to all life across the region.”

The Delaware River basin supplies water to 16 million people in four states. The river also provides vital habitat to fish and wildlife species including the endangered Atlantic sturgeon. The watershed hosts one of the largest populations of wintering bald eagles in the northeast. Great blue herons can sometimes be seen hunting American shad that travel unobstructed between the upper reaches of the river and the Atlantic Ocean. The urban Delaware River is home to globally rare freshwater tidal marshes and the nation’s first Urban National Wildlife Refuge and the Delaware Bay boasts the largest breeding population of horseshoe crabs in the world.

About American Rivers

American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit AmericanRivers.org 

Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145

Washington, DC — American Rivers applauded the Biden Administration’s proposed FY2024 Budget Request for prioritizing healthy rivers, which are essential to public health and safety and the well-being of communities nationwide.

The request proposes to secure essential funding to help river communities jumpstart water infrastructure projects, reduce pollution, improve water storage in arid regions, and prioritize environmental justice to fight climate change. The President’s Budget would increase spending for critical agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:

“President Biden’s proposed budget is smart, sensible, and sophisticated. Building on last year’s historic successes to modernize our water infrastructure and improve water quality across the country to create jobs, this budget advances the President’s commitment to river communities and prioritizes river health. With climate change, loss of nature, and racial injustice threatening rivers and river communities, Congress must follow the President’s lead and prioritize spending that supports rivers, which are essential to all life.”

Earlier this year, American Rivers released its annual community-driven budget and appropriations report, the River Budget: National Priorities for Healthy Rivers and Clean Water, highlighting opportunities to protect healthy rivers and improve access to clean water nationwide. The report is endorsed by 151 partner organizations including utility and state agency associations, fishing groups, small businesses, rural communities, public health organizations, environmental justice leaders, and more. Congress must pass a spending bill ahead of the September 30, 2023, funding deadline.

Key Budget Toplines:

Protects Clean Water for All, Advances Environmental Justice, and Prioritizes Nature-Based Solutions

$12 billion for EPA, a $1.9 billion or 19-percent increase from the fiscal year 2023 enacted level. Tackles PFAS and implements Justice40 which ensures 40 percent of federal investments reach disadvantaged communities.
$2.1 billion for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
$3.8 billion budget request for the National Park Service.

Strengthens the Nation’s Defense Against Wildfires and Supports Climate Smart Agriculture

$18.9 billion for DOI, an increase of $2 billion, or 12 percent over last year the 2024 request for discretionary budget authority to fund programs and operating expenses. Addresses catastrophic wildfires which are expected to increase due to climate change.

$1.4 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation. Supports drought mitigation and domestic water supply projects.
$1.6 billion for the Bureau of Land Management, the proposed 2024 budget for the BLM is an increase of $140.5 million above fiscal year 2023 funding.
$32.6 billion for USDA, slightly more than 14.4 percent increase, or $4.7 billion, above the 2023 enacted level. The 2024 request for mandatory programs is $181.7 billion. Supports the 2023 Farm Bill and provides staffing resources to the agency.

Invests in Flood Mitigation to Bolster Community Resilience

$4.0 billion for FEMA climate resilience programs, over a $150 million increase from the FY 2023 enacted budget. Supports flood hazard mapping, including the development of new data to support future flood conditions, as well as funding to sustain the Civilian Climate Corps.

$6.8 billion for NOAA, $451 million more than the FY 2023 levels.

As the FY2024 Appropriations process moves forward, American Rivers will work on multiple fronts to ensure all promises made in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act are kept in a final agreement.

American Rivers will release a detailed analysis on the provisions of the president’s budget that will outline river health priorities in the coming days.

Award recognizes national leadership for healthy rivers

March 2, 2023

Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145

Washington – American Rivers announced the recipients of the inaugural River Champion Award, recognizing national leadership for healthy rivers. The 2023 awardees are the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), and the Brunckhorst Foundations.

The awards were presented yesterday evening at American Rivers’ 50^th anniversary celebration at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.

“We are thrilled to honor these extraordinary leaders who are improving lives and strengthening our nation by advancing solutions for healthy rivers and clean water,” said Tom Kiernan, American Rivers President and CEO.

“Rivers are essential to our health and our future, but they are facing growing threats. The River Champions of 2023 are demonstrating the courage, vision, and impact that is necessary to ensure rivers continue to sustain all life.”

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians was honored for leading the coalition to remove the Ela Dam to repair 549 miles of stream and restore cultural connections to the Oconaluftee River, or Long Man. The Cherokees have always viewed the Oconaluftee River as “Long Man (Ga-na-hi-da A-sga-ya),” whose head lies in the mountains and whose feet lie in the sea. Long Man is a sacred figure who provides water to drink, cleanliness, food, and numerous cultural rituals tied to traditional and cultural ceremonies still being practiced today. Dam removal is the fastest way to bring a river back to life. The tribe’s advocacy underscores the importance of greater engagement and leadership by Tribal Nations in river conservation efforts across the country.

Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID) was honored for his multi-year effort to advance solutions for the Northwest’s rivers, endangered salmon, and communities. In 2021, Rep. Simpson put forward the Energy and Salmon Concept/The Columbia River Initiative.  This creative and comprehensive proposal calls for the removal of the four lower Snake River dams to recover endangered salmon and fulfill obligations to Tribal Nations, while ensuring replacement of the dams’ transportation, irrigation, and energy services.

Representative Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) was honored for championing protections for rivers in New Hampshire, including the Merrimack River and Connecticut River, and for advancing solutions for rivers nationwide in an era of climate change. In 2021, Rep. Kuster sponsored the Twenty-First Century Dams Act which provides support for dam removal, rehabilitation, and restoration while also supporting tax credits for hydropower projects to add environmental improvements or dam safety improvements.  The bill ultimately had over 40 bipartisan co-sponsors. 

Barbara Brunckhorst and the Brunckhorst Foundations were honored for helping American Rivers achieve our greatest victories over the past decades, including safeguarding more than 150,000 miles of rivers and 3 million acres of riverside lands vital to wildlife and human health. Their steadfast support for nearly 20 years has also allowed American Rivers to drive policies protecting drinking water sources for tens of millions of people. Generous gifts from the Brunckhorst Foundations have allowed American Rivers to consistently put our national expertise, on-the-ground presence, and policy experience to work, ensuring lasting impact for rivers.

Rivers are essential to all life, and healthy rivers are for everyone, not just a privileged few. In conjunction with its 50^th anniversary celebration, American Rivers announced a new strategic vision that addresses the interconnected crises of climate change, loss of nature, and racial injustice impacting rivers nationwide. The vision is aimed at achieving four ambitious goals: 1) Protect one million miles of rivers, 2) Restore rivers by removing 30,000 dams, 3) Ensure clean water in every community, and 4) Champion a powerful river movement.

“Tackling the threats facing our rivers and clean water will take all of us,” said Kiernan. “Thank you to the 2023 River Champions for showing the way forward.”

About American Rivers

Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145

Resources:

The movement to restore healthy, flowing rivers continues to grow, American Rivers announced today, with 65 dams in 20 states removed in 2022, reconnecting more than 430 upstream miles of rivers.

Dam removal is a proven tool to restore river health, improve public safety, revitalize fish and wildlife populations, safeguard cultural values, and reconnect communities to their rivers. River restoration also benefits the economy: every $1 million invested in restoring watersheds generates 16 jobs and up to $2.5 million in economic benefits.

As part of its leadership in river restoration, American Rivers tracks dam removal trends and maintains a national dam removal database. A total of 2,025 dams have been removed in the U.S. since 1912.

In 2022, the states leading in dam removal were Ohio (11 removals), Pennsylvania (10 removals), and Virginia (6 removals).

Many, if not most, dams in the U.S. are unnecessary, harmful, and even dangerous. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ National Inventory of Dams catalogs more than 90,000 dams nationwide, but the actual number exceeds 400,000 dams. American Rivers recently announced a goal to remove 30,000 dams by 2050, in partnership with communities, Tribal Nations, and state and federal agencies, to ensure that rivers can continue to sustain life.

“Rivers are essential to our health and the health of the natural world. Removing a dam is the fastest, most efficient way to bring a river back to life,” said Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers.

“The river restoration movement is stronger than ever, but in the face of the climate crisis, wildlife extinction and loss of nature, and the racial injustice crisis, it’s crucial that we accelerate our river restoration efforts.”

Dam removal numbers are once again on the rise across the country, following a lull during the pandemic, as dam safety and resilience to climate change become increasingly important priorities.

The largest river and salmon restoration project in history will begin this year on the Klamath River in Oregon and California, with the removal of four dams. This effort on the Klamath is the result of decades of leadership and advocacy from the Karuk, Yurok, Klamath and other tribes, and will restore salmon runs, improve water quality, and revitalize cultural connections and food sovereignty.

Dam removal projects are expected to increase nationwide thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service have already allocated the first round of IIJA funding toward the removal of at least 54 dams.

Rivers start to come back to life almost immediately after a dam is removed and plants, fish, and wildlife throughout the ecosystem are revitalized. For example, in 2022, numbers of American eel in Maryland’s Patapsco River upstream of the former Bloede Dam (removed in 2018) increased nearly 10-fold each year from 2020 to 2022 (361 in 2020; 3,419 in 2021; and 36,520 in 2022).

Dams harm rivers in many ways. They block migrating fish and prevent the movement of sediment and other natural building blocks of habitat. Dams can impact water quality, and some dams pose serious public safety hazards. Hydropower dams are a source of methane emissions, a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide. As they age, dams can be liabilities that put communities in harm’s way of catastrophic flooding and other risks.

About American Rivers

American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit AmericanRivers.org

BIG SKY, MONTANA, February 9, 2023 – Outlaw Partners, in conjunction with actor Tom Skerritt, the EVRGRN Channel and Triple Squirrels Productions, is pleased to announce the largest event to ever be held in support of conserving the Gallatin River and rivers across the country. Wildlands Festival, the largest conservation-focused outdoor music festival in southwest Montana, will take place in Big Sky, Montana August 5-6, 2023. The artist announcement and schedule of festival activities will be released on February 21.

The event is a celebration for the 30th anniversary of the Academy Award-winning film, A River Runs Through It, and the50^th anniversary of American Rivers. It comes at a critical time for the Gallatin River, which is threatened by unprecedented development pressure along its length.

American Rivers believes that all life needs healthy rivers to survive. Earlier this year the national nonprofit river conservation organization announced the goal of protecting one million miles of rivers nationwide by 2030. Funds raised at the Wildlands Festival will help the organization work toward that goal and other vital efforts.

“We all need healthy rivers in our lives. Their clean water is essential to our health, and their habitats are critical for wildlife and the entire natural world. Now is the time to come together for their protection. We are honored to be a beneficiary of this event, and we are excited for the opportunity to celebrate rivers and inspire action in Montana and nationwide,” said Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers.

The Wildlands Festival will also bring more attention to policies to help protect rivers including Senator Jon Tester’s Montana Headwaters Legacy Act, which would protect 385 miles of rivers on the Custer-Gallatin and the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forests. This federal legislation, which would double the number of protected river miles in Montana, is the most ambitious river protection bill in the state’s history.

The 2023 Wildlands Festival will feature an all-star lineup of musicians to raise awareness and help preserve America’s rivers, including the locally cherished Gallatin River, where many of the famous scenes from A River Runs Through It were filmed.

In addition to the live concert, Wildlands will offer unique memorabilia and fundraising opportunities to support American Rivers and Gallatin River Task Force — the two nonprofit partners chosen as beneficiaries of this year’s event.

“I’m honored to partner with Wildlands Festival and Outlaw Partners to have a voice and create an impact of care, concern and change for our rivers through music,” said Skerritt. Preserving America’s rivers is a life-long passion for Skerritt, who served on the board of American Rivers and continues to be a strong advocate for river conservation.

“The core ethos of Wildlands has always been to give back while creating an unforgettable music event celebrating wild and scenic spaces,” said Eric Ladd, Founder and Chairman of Outlaw Partners. “Tom’s passion for rivers and leaving an impact for future generations is commendable. We’re grateful to produce Wildlands Festival in support of rivers and the invaluable partners in our backyard.”

“The Task Force is thrilled to be included as a beneficiary in this year’s Wildlands Festival. The overwhelming support of this community to invest in our work and in the solutions for the Gallatin River is critical to our success,” said Kristin Gardner, Chief Executive and Science Officer of the Gallatin River Task Force. “The event provides tremendous potential to raise awareness about our community resource — and the means by which we must work to keep it thriving. We couldn’t be more grateful to have this public platform to elevate the importance of keeping the Gallatin healthy.”

Stay tuned to wildlandsfestival.com for updates.

About Tom Skerritt
Tom Skerritt is an Emmy Award-winning TV and film actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962. He is known for his roles in M*A*S*H, Alien, Turning Point, Top Gun, A River Runs Through It, Steel Magnolias, and Emmy award television series and directed Picket Fences. In 2020, Skerritt founded the digital media company Triple Squirrels Inc. and launched EVRGRN Channel, a free ad-supported channel available on STIRR, iOS, Android, streaming TV devices and on demand.

About Outlaw Partners
Outlaw Partners is an award-winning experiential marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky and Bozeman, Montana. Formed around the pioneering principles of the Code of the West, Outlaw Partners builds brands that live to challenge the status quo. Founded in 2009, Outlaw Partners’ award-winning media publications include Mountain Outlaw magazine, Explore Big Sky newspaper and VIEWS magazine. In addition, we produce hand-curated events in Southwest Montana such as Wildlands Music Festival, Big Sky Professional Bull Riding, and the Big Sky Ideas Festival. With multiple awards for content and graphic design, Outlaw Partners is driven to make an impact in the world by creating meaningful connections, supporting local community organizations, inspiring action in service, and producing quality content that represents a unique demographic and fosters a global kinship to the spirit of the Mountain West. For more information, please visit www.outlaw.partners

About Wildlands Festival
Produced by Outlaw Partners, the Wildlands Festival takes place at the Big Sky Events Arena in Big Sky, Montana with the 11,166-foot iconic Lone Peak as the backdrop. This exciting and inspiring music event brings people together who have a mutual love for wild and scenic rivers, outdoor recreation, parks, trails and the enjoyment of what makes the Greater Yellowstone region special. Previous Wildlands Festival artists include: Brandi Carlile, Indigo Girls, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Robert Earl Keen and Madeline Hawthorne, among others.

About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit AmericanRivers.org

About Gallatin River Task Force
The Gallatin River Task Force has been protecting the Gallatin River and advocating for sustainable water management for over two decades. Utilizing a watershed approach to resource conservation, the organization prioritizes problem-solving in key focus areas; ecological health of a river system, water conservation, and wastewater management. The Task Force’s approach ensures broad stakeholder involvement and inclusivity, is community-based, relies on local leadership, and encourages collaboration for solutions-driven action. Conservation, mindful water sustainability and stewardship of the Gallatin River Watershed are paramount elements to the organization’s work and goals for a clean, cold, healthy river for future generations. For more information, please visit gallatinrivertaskforce.org