America's 10 Most Endangered Rivers

WASHINGTON, DC, April 8, 2009 (ENS) - "Our nation is at a transformational moment when it comes to rivers and clean water," said Rebecca Wodder, president of American Rivers as she released the organization's annual list of America's 10 Most Endangered Rivers on Tuesday. "Water is life, yet our nation's water infrastructure is so outdated that our clean drinking water, flood protection and river health face unprecedented threats."

This year's report highlights what Wodder calls the "sorry state" of the nation's water infrastructure - drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems, and 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.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is formed at the confluence of the south-flowing Sacramento River and the north-flowing San Joaquin River. (Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

The river conservation organization lists rivers in Alaska, California, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin as endangered this year.

The nation's most endangered river is actually an entire river system threatened by outdated water and flood management policies. California's Sacramento-San Joaquin River system, the largest watershed in the state is on the verge of collapse, American Rivers warns. The risks are numerous - climate change, population growth, water supply demands, and endangered species listings.

In a March report, California's Department of Water Resources warned that the risk of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta island flooding is "likely to increase substantially over the next century." The report assesses major risks to Delta levees from floods, seepage, subsidence and earthquakes.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta provides water to as many as 25 million Californians and about three million acres of agricultural land. The report's findings will be used to develop a set of strategies to manage levee failure risks in the Delta and to improve the management of state funding that supports levee maintenance and improvement.

"Being named as one of America's Most Endangered Rivers is not an end for the river, but rather a beginning," said Wodder. "With the listing comes a national spotlight and action from thousands of citizens across the country. These 10 rivers have a chance to be reborn, and to serve as models for other rivers all across America."

"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," she said.

Each year, American Rivers solicits nominations from thousands of river groups, environmental organizations, outdoor clubs, local governments, and taxpayer watchdogs for its annual report on America's most endangered rivers. The report, now in its 23rd 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.

America's Most Endangered Rivers: 2009 edition is sponsored by Orvis, the oldest mail order company in the United States which has been outfitting customers for the sporting traditions since 1856.

"Orvis is proud to support this call to action to protect and restore the rivers that are so essential to our nation's businesses, heritage, and recreation," said Orvis chief executive Perk Perkins. "Conservation is one of our company's core values and partnering with American Rivers is a natural fit."