The American Rivers advocacy organization this week released their annual list of most endangered rivers in the United States.
American Rivers announced the Most Endangered Rivers of 2018 list on April 10, raising the alarm about the potential for catastrophic developments affecting rivers in eight states. Several rivers are cited specifically for the potential of the Trump Administration and Congress to decide the future of the river.
Included on the list are the following rivers and the state where the primary threat is located:
- Big Sunflower River, Mississippi
- Rivers of Bristol Bay, Alaska
- Boundary Waters, Minnesota
- Lower Rio Grande, Texas
- South Fork Salmon River, Idaho
- Mississippi River Gorge, Minnesota
- Smith River, Montana
- Colville River, Alaska
- Middle Fork Vermilion River, Illinois
- Kinnickinnic River, Wisconsin
The first river on the list is threatened by the Yazoo Pumps Project, according to American Rivers, which would "damage more than 200,000 acres of wetlands in the Big Sunflower River watershed in the heart of the Mississippi River Flyway. More than 450 species of fish and wildlife, including the Louisiana black bear, rely on the wetlands habitat that would be drained by the project."
American Rivers also lists President Trump's proposed border wall as the threat facing the Lower Rio Grande. In addition to the announcement of the 2018 list, see also a page set up with portals to more information on each of the endangered rivers. The full report [pdf] is also available online.
Several media outlets and advocates have also picked up the new online.
- Report: 2 Minnesota rivers among most endangered in U.S. (MPRNews)
- Mississippi's Big Sunflower River named nation's 'most endangered' in 2018 (Clarion Ledger)
- South Fork of the Salmon River among America's Most Endangered Rivers of 2018 (Idaho Rivers United)
- America's 10 Most Endangered Rivers for 2018 (The Weather Channel)
See also Planetizen coverage of previous lists.
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