Community | May 17, 2011 | 14 comments

Sounding the alarm for America's rivers: The most endangered for 2011

source: http://www.americanrivers.org

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JanforGore
For 26 years, American Rivers has sounded the alarm on hundreds of rivers through our America’s Most Endangered RiversTM report. By shining the spotlight and mobilizing the public to take action, we save rivers from urgent threats like pollution, mining, and dams. The report emphasizes solutions to secure a better future for the rivers, their fish and wildlife, and communities.

The ten rivers named as America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2011 highlight an issue of urgent concern to all Americans: clean water. It is vital to the health of our families and communities. Sixty-five percent of our drinking water comes from rivers and streams, but many of our rivers are too polluted to use.

Working with local partners and concerned citizens, American Rivers fights to safeguard our rivers and clean water for this year’s endangered rivers — and rivers nationwide — for generations to come.


Here they are:

#1 Susquehanna River
#2 Bristol Bay Rivers
#3 Roanoke River
#4 Chicago River
#5 Yuba River
#6 Green River
#7 Hoback River
#8 Black Warrior River
#9 St. Croix River
#10 Ozark Scenic Riverways
Special Mention: Mississippi River
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  2. tags:
    Environment,  Health,  Activism,  Pollution,  7 more
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14 comments // Sounding the alarm for America's rivers: The most endangered for 2011

  • AmericanRivers
  • JanforGore
  • percipi224
    • +1
      percipi224  

    • The Arkansas River beginning in Leadville, CO is fairly clean after decades of mining, but recently uranium mining has reared its ugly head and has been shot down in counties along the river. recently Black Hills energy wanted to build a nuclear plant in PUeblo county, the commissioners killed it. the company had no plans to show nor would they or could they answer any questions like what about waste, or big issue water usage. they killed the project. colorado protects the water for a third of this nation the best we can. where i live is a superfund site called Cotter, bought by Global Atomics after our tax dollars cleaned it up, It is now the largest tailing pond in the region if not the country. they tried to bring New Jersey waste, it was killed. water is polluted from heavy metals that naturaly exist in the mountains but now the gas industry has our whole front range marked for fracking, more water would go to this poisonous practice. water is more important than oil, and the powers that be know it.

    • 1 year ago
  • northernexpat
    • +2
      northernexpat  

    • I grew up on the banks of the Susquehanna River. It was polluted when I was a young child and the smell could be extremely foul. Then in the 60s efforts were made to clean it up. I am extremely upset to hear that it's Number 1 on the list. Why did the country allow this great river to become foul again? Shame on the EPA.

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • littlwarrior
    • +1
      littlwarrior  

    • Oh you guys, dont wait until you have to learn the lesson we did up here in the northwest the way we did. Our rivers were devastated by mining and logging, we are still working hard to repair the damage done in the last hundred years. Water is one of our most important resources and we must do everything we can to protect it.

    • 1 year ago
  • ThatCrazyLibertarian
  • JanforGore
  • Fishinflick
    • 0
      Fishinflick  
    • JanforGore:

      The Hudson rebounded nicely as there's not much industry or manufacturing up here now with GE and GM long gone. The Indian Point Nuclear Plant is the scariest thing about living on the Hudson. I have lived and fished the river for decades. Recently I got to fish from a boat right off Manhattan, where the river meets salt and the water was clear to the bottom - I was shocked - and happy to catch lots of striped bass. But for some reason, probably offshore over-fishing, the shad and herring runs in the Hudson have crashed which will impact the whole system. The Riverkeeper published the Pisces Report in 2007 listing that over half of the key indicator species are in trouble. That's awful and troubling but any river in proximity of hydro-fracking is where we must focus our energies now, it's total madness.

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • Fishinflick
    • +1
      Fishinflick  
    • JanforGore:

      Completely understood without saying. Now that GE has been forced to complete the dredging after decades of dishonest media campaigns and legal maneuvering - the hard work of saving the river is over and nature will soon take over, though it will never be 100% free of PCBs. But here's a glimmer of hope - massive rivers receive so much water from so many sources that the steady flush and sediment capture after the sources of pollution are stopped is like a self-healing miracle. I think the list presented is accurate and highlights more urgent needs. Thanks for the post - I love the idea of clean rivers as a national priority.

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
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