American Rivers

This groundbreaking project is the largest dam removal and river restoration effort the world has ever seen. Congratulations to the Klamath River community on being named "2024 River of the Year" by our partners at American Rivers. The brilliant display of unity by community leaders, tribes and organizations is a reminder that no goal is too ambitious when driven by a commitment to create positive change. We can all make a difference. I encourage you to help raise awareness by sharing this story and visit AmericanRivers.org if you’re interested in learning more about opportunities for positive change in your own community.  https://lnkd.in/ev_Ex-rD

Meet Splashy! An energetic small stream who is helping us tell the story of how a Supreme Court ruling cut protections for streams and is putting your clean water at risk. Learn more about Splashy and how you can speak up for clean water now! https://lnkd.in/eD5eVNjb

Extreme rainfall from Tropical Storm Debbie is overwhelming Southeast infrastructure. Low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately affected by these events. We must prioritize natural solutions and action plans to lessen these threats. https://lnkd.in/ekEMDvmz

Today is World Nature Conservation Day. We know a lot is going on in the world that can make it overwhelming to figure out what you can do to help so we put together 5 simple things you can do to make an impact in your community and nationwide. https://lnkd.in/eite4tKJ

We are really excited to add Leda Huta to our team as our new Vice President, Government Relations. Welcome to the team Leda! https://lnkd.in/eVrd7PE4

We had a great National River Cleanup event in Wichita, Kansas earlier this month with Cox Communications employees. Big thanks to Cox, Mark Greatrex and Wichita Mayor Lily Wu for your passion and dedication to clean water and healthy rivers! As Mayor Wu says, "It is essential for communities to have clean water -- rivers are an economic engine for communities... we need to make sure our rivers are healthy."

Another milestone on the Klamath, as crews break ground for the removal of J.C. Boyle Dam. We named the Klamath River of the Year for 2024 to spotlight important lessons in river restoration, including the importance of leadership from Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities. 📸 JC Boyle Dam on the Klamath River | Shane Anderson, Swiftwater Films

If the nation is going to successfully adapt to sea level rise and flooding that is more frequent and severe due to climate change, we need more reliable flood maps that show where flooding is likely to occur both now and in the future. And we need to put a halt to some of the worst practices when it comes to floodplain development. https://lnkd.in/dQwJiHCk FEMA received three recommendations from an advisory panel that – if implemented – would greatly improve the reliability of its flood maps and put an end to the practice of fill and build, which often increases flood risks in a community. Those recommendations include: Mapping flood risk with much higher certainty for purposes of determining where people are required to purchase flood insurance. Mapping the floodplain of the future, instead of the floodplain of the past. Banning the practice of fill and build, whereby fill (i.e. dirt) is piled up and homes built on top. American Rivers, Anthropocene Alliance, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), The Nature Conservancy, Southern Environmental Law Center, and the Union of Concerned Scientists recently sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell urging them to implement these recommendations. 

Great discussions today at American Rivers Resources Legacy Fund dam symposium. Topics: Importance of leadership from Tribal Nations, freshwater mussels + free-flowing rivers, inequities with dam removal $$. It's an important step in accelerating the pace of river restoration nationwide!

Join American Rivers and the Energy and Environmental Study Institute virtually for a congressional briefing on dam removal on Wednesday, May 1 from 3-4:30pm ET. This briefing will discuss the options dam owners have to manage their infrastructure, including dam removal, which is a common approach to dam safety and river restoration. To date, dam owners have worked with federal agencies and nonprofits to remove 2,119 dams, the majority of them in the last 25 years. The briefing can be streamed here: eesi.org/livecast 📸 Removal of the Middle Fork Nooksack Dam, Middle Fork Nooksack River, Washington, Photo credit: Brett Baunton