america’s most endangered rivers...most endangered rivers of 2008 1 catawba-wateree river 2 rogue...

America’sMost Endangered RiversTMTM

2008 EDITION

About the Report

The America’s Most Endangered RiversTM report is one of the best-known and longest-livedannual reports in the environmental movement — but it is much more than that. Each year,grassroots river conservationists team up with American Rivers to use the report to savetheir hometown river, consistently scoring policy successes that benefit these rivers and thecommunities through which they flow.

American Rivers solicits nominations from thousands of river groups, environmentalorganizations, outdoor clubs and others for the America’s Most Endangered RiversTM

report. Our staff and scientific advisors review the nominations for the following criteria:

■ The magnitude of the threat to the river■ A major decision point in the coming year■ The regional and national significance of the river

The report highlights ten rivers whose fate will be decided in the coming year, and encour-ages decisionmakers to do the right thing for the rivers and the communities they support.The report presents alternatives to proposals that would damage rivers, identifies those whomake the crucial decisions, and directs the public to opportunities to take action on behalf ofeach listed river.

American Rivers would like to thank Barbara Cohn for her dedicatedfinancial support of this campaign. By helping us spread the word aboutthreats to America’s rivers and highlight rivers in particular jeopardy,Cohn’s generosity helps ensure a better future for these importantresources. As in years past, we expect this report will contribute topositive outcomes for the rivers featured on its pages.

About American Rivers

American Rivers is the only national organization standing up for healthy rivers so ourcommunities can thrive. Through national advocacy, community-oriented solutions and ourgrowing network of strategic partners, we protect and promote our rivers as valuablecommunity assets that are vital to our health, safety and quality of life.

American Rivers has more than 65,000 supporters nationwide, and offices in Washington,DC and the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, California and Northwest regions.Learn more at www.AmericanRivers.org.

Barbara Cohn

www.AmericanRivers.org

America’sMost Endangered RiversTMTM

2008 EDITION

AM E R I C A ’ S M O S T E N DA N G E R E D R I V E R S T M : 2008 E D I T I O N | WWW. AM E R I C A N R I V E R S . O R G 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Map: America’s Most Endangered RiversTM of 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

What Does Global Warming Mean for Rivers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

America’s Most Endangered RiversTM Success Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Summaries of America’s Most Endangered RiversTM of 2008 (by rank)

1 Catawba River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

2 Rogue River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

3 Cache la Poudre River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

4 St. Lawrence River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

5 Minnesota River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

6 St. Johns River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

7 Gila River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

8 Allagash Wilderness Waterway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

9 Pearl River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

10 Niobrara River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

4 AM E R I C A ’ S M O S T E N DA N G E R E D R I V E R S T M : 2008 E D I T I O N | WWW. AM E R I C A N R I V E R S . O R G

AMERICA’S 10MOST ENDANGERED RIVERS

OF 2008

1 Catawba-Wateree River2 Rogue River3 Cache la Poudre River4 St. Lawrence River5 Minnesota River6 St. Johns River7 Gila River8 Allagash Wilderness Waterway9 Pearl River10 Niobrara River

TM

future. We have adoptedthe audacious goal thatby 2023, we will havechanged public policyand practice so that nat-ural land cover isincreasing, total waterconsumption is decreas-

ing, and outmoded infrastruc-ture is being replaced withgreen infrastructure, like raingardens, green roofs and streambuffers all across America.As a result of this major

change in public policy andpractice, healthy rivers willprovide the resilience neededby communities to surviveglobal warming and thrive.These ten endangered rivers

need your help. Together wecan demonstrate a better way toprotect communities from theimpacts of global warming byprotecting their rivers.I hope we can count on

each of you to join with us, andtake action.

Thank you.

Rebecca R. WodderPresidentAmerican Rivers

Union of Concerned Scientists


FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, in Novem-ber 1992, 1,700 of the world'sleading scientists, including themajority of Nobel laureates inthe sciences, issued an ominouswarning to the world:

“No more than one or a fewdecades remain before thechance to avert the threats wenow confront will be lost andthe prospects for humanityimmeasurably diminished.” *One thing is certain, if

global warming is notaddressed, rivers as we knowand love them, will all beendangered.Because, when drought

causes the water taps to run dry,panicked community leaderswill reach for 19th and 20thcentury solutions, like diver-sions and reservoirs, unless21st century solutions, likeefficiency and reuse, have beenproven and government policiesand programs support theirwidespread use.

When floodwaters killpeople and destroy property,panicked leaders will look tooutmoded levees and dams,unless better options like naturalflood protection have beenproven more effective.This year’s America’s Most

Endangered RiversTM are tenexamples of the choices commu-nities must make between failedmethods of the past, or provenapproaches to a better andmore sustainable future.As the nation’s leading river

conservation organi-zation, AmericanRivers offers com-munities provenapproaches to adapt-ing to global warm-ing and gainingmany valuable bene-fits in the effort. As more andmore communities adopt theseapproaches, together we will cre-ate a path to a sustainable future.Global warming means our

work protecting rivers is evenmore important today and in the

WHAT DOESGLOBALWARMINGMEAN FOR RIVERS?

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“2007 MARKED BYEXTREME

RECORD-BREAKINGWEATHER

SO READ HEADLINES at the end ofa year marked by an ominoussuccession of extreme weather.The residents of southwestWashington who saw theChehalis River rise to record lev-els and wash away homes andlivestock certainly wouldn’t dis-agree. Neither would residents ofthe Southeast who watched theirreservoirs dwindle throughout arecord-setting drought. Acrossthe country, 2007 brought recordfloods, droughts and high tem-peratures. New high temperaturerecords were set at 263 weatherstations around the country.These events may foretell thefuture we will face in a changing

described in this report, coulddestroy the rivers’ abilities toprovide clean water, benefitlocal economies, and supportwildlife.Rivers in danger from exces-

sive water withdrawals such asthe Gila River in Arizona andNew Mexico may increasinglyrun dry as shifting precipitationpatterns increase the intensity ofdroughts.Those threatened by rapid

development and runoff like thePearl River in Mississippi andLouisiana will grow more pol-luted as stronger storms washpollutants off urban and agricul-tural lands.The remote, wild rivers on

this list such as Maine’s Alla-gash and Oregon’s Rogue gaineven more importance in lightof global warming. We can illafford to lose these last, pristineecosystems as the changing cli-mate alters wildlife habitat anddestroys biodiversity around thecountry. Just as important, wecannot afford to lose thebenefits that they provide byabsorbing flood waters and

”climate. Global warming isn’tjust about polar bears, ice capsand hurricanes; it will affectevery American river and, there-fore, every American community.This year’s America’s Most

Endangered RiversTM face a vari-ety of immediate threats fromactions such as harmful loggingand water diversions, but they allshare one unified threat — globalwarming. The changing climateis altering water levels, increas-ing concentrations of pollutionand decreasing each river’scapacity to respond to the localthreats it faces. The impacts ofglobal warming, combined withthe ill-conceived projects

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buffering against droughts.Bleak though these predic-

tions may be, there is hope. Wehave many strategies that canhelp healthy rivers and the com-munities that depend on themadapt to moderate levels ofglobal warming — working withnature instead of against it. Butwe all must recognize that thereis no adapting to more extremescenarios. Protection of healthywatersheds, restoration of dam-aged rivers, and enhancement ofwater efficiency can contributeto making American communi-ties resilient in the face of theseincreasingly volatile conditions.

AN UNCERTAIN FUTUREGlobal warming will have manyimpacts on rivers, and thesechanges will in turn affect watersupply, agriculture, recreation,power generation and numerousother spheres. Global warmingwill be most disruptive to com-munities that are already vulner-able because of damconstruction, deforestation,sprawl, unsustainable water use,untreated wastewater and pol-

luted runoff. Already weakenedby past damage to their rivers,many communities will have aharder time adapting to the fol-lowing impacts brought on byglobal warming.

DroughtWarmer temperatures willincrease evaporation, melt snow-pack earlier, lower surface waterlevels and decrease recharge toaquifers. The frequency andintensity of droughts willincrease as a result. Some areaswill receive less precipitation,while others will see rainfallshift to winter and spring, leav-ing summer months drier. Inriver basins such as the Rogueand Colorado’s Cache la Poudrethat originate in mountainousareas, snowpack acts as a naturalreservoir that stores winter pre-cipitation and releases itthroughout the drier summermonths when demand is highest.Warming temperatures will turnsnow to rain and melt snowpackearlier in the season. As a result,many communities, especially inthe western United States, willhave less water in the dry sum-

mer and early fall months. In theSoutheast, the 2007 drought hasalready cost farmers hundreds ofmillions of dollars and closedpower plants due to a lack ofcooling water. These same short-ages also threaten species andecosystems that have evolvedover thousands of years todepend upon historical cycles.

FloodingWhile water shortages will affectsome regions, excessive rainfallwill plague others. More fre-quent and more powerful stormswill increase flooding in manyregions of the country. Someareas will experience bothdrought and flooding in the sameyear. Earlier snowmelt andhigher winter and spring precipi-tation will make mountainousareas particularly likely to expe-rience increased flooding. Thesefloods will claim lives anddestroy property, especially incommunities built in floodplains.Although flooding has alwaysbeen part of a healthy river sys-tem, these “extreme” floods willlikely be destructive as opposedto restorative, harming fish and

WHAT'S IN A NAME?Why global warmingand not climatecatastrophe? There aremany alternatives, eacheffectively describingone part of the prob-lem while neglectinganother. Many scien-tists opt for "climatechange" because itdescribes the widerange of shifts in theclimate. Others use"global warming" tostress the dire natureof the problem andconvey a sense ofurgency. We have cho-sen to use "globalwarming" throughoutthis report. It is meantto encompass a widerange of shifts in theclimate from alteredrainfall patterns toprolonged droughts,not merely a rise intemperatures.

Global warming will cause more frequent and more intense droughts and floods, like this flood in 2007 onWashington’s Nisqually River.

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wildlife, as well as people andproperty.

Water QualityA changing climate poses a num-ber of threats to clean water inour rivers and streams. Heavyrains will wash metals, toxins andother pollutants off of streets andinto waterways. They will alsooverburden sewer systems andsend raw sewage into local riversand streams. The Catawba-Wateree River of North Carolinaand South Carolina, which iscontaminated with untreatedsewage and other pollutants, willlikely experience more algalblooms and declining water qual-ity as more water is taken byevaporation and withdrawals forhuman use. Sea-level rise willinfiltrate coastal aquifers withsalt water. These sources of pol-lution will in turn put drinkingwater supplies, vital habitat forfish and wildlife, and the recre-ational use of rivers at risk.Municipalities will need to investmore money and energy in infra-structure systems to protect cleanwater.

THE WAY FORWARD:RESILIENTCOMMUNITIESConfronting global warmingdemands urgent action on twomajor fronts. We must get seri-ous about reducing greenhousegas emissions. But even after we

bring emissions under control,some warming is inevitablebecause greenhouse gasses fromthe past 100 years of intensefossil fuel use will remain in theatmosphere for many decades. Wemust, therefore, take immediateaction to help both human andnatural communities adapt toinevitable climate changes bybeing smart about how we man-age our precious freshwaterresources and working withnature instead of against it.How do we adapt given the

uncertainty of knowing how muchthe climate will change in anygiven place over any given time?We adapt by building resilienceinto communities and ecosystems

so that they can withstand signif-icant changes or disasters andrespond in a productive manner.We can build resilience to theconsequences of global warmingby protecting and restoringhealthy watersheds, increasingwater conservation and effi-ciency and improvingthe quality of our infrastructure.

Increase the Amount ofNatural LandscapesHealthy rivers, grasslands, forestsand wetlands perform a variety ofessential functions for communi-ties and wildlife. They act as nat-ural sponges that absorb floodwaters and release them duringdry periods, buffering against

droughts. By absorbing and slow-ing flood waters, they also act asbarriers between storm surges andcommunities. Even having four tofive percent wetland coverage in awatershed can reduce peak floodsby 50 percent. In addition, healthywatersheds and wetlands filterwater and remove pollutants. Theyprovide untold economic benefitsby raising property values and pro-viding venues for boating, fishing,hunting and countless other recre-ational activities. Finally, freshwa-ter ecosystems provide a criticalrefuge for fish and wildlife. Morethan 70 percent of all species relyupon rivers and streams for somepart of their life cycle.America is still blessed with

many healthy, free-flowing andintact headwaters, watersheds, wet-lands and floodplains. We mustpreserve these intact ecosystemsand promote them as a vital part ofour water supply and flood protec-tion infrastructure, especiallyimportant during an era of globalwarming. Counterproductiveresponses such as building morelevees and dams should only beused where green infrastructure isproven to be insufficient. At thesame time, we must rehabilitaterivers and streams that have beendamaged by these misguidedapproaches in the past. Dams andlevees impair the ability of water-sheds to provide water supply,

flood control and pollutionreduction services, butthese benefits can berecaptured by restoringdegraded rivers andstreams. By preservingand restoring healthywatersheds and streamchannels, communitieswill grow more resilient

and will be better able to withstandthe impacts of global warming.

“

”

...there is hope.

We have many

strategies that

can help healthy

rivers and the

communities

that depend on

them.

Increasing the amount of naturallandscape will make communitiesmore resilient, benefiting peopleand the fish and wildlife thatdepend on healthy rivers.

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Reduce Per Capita WaterConsumptionTo ensure that we have enoughwater to go around, even duringtimes of scarcity, we must besmarter and more efficient abouthow we use water. Unfortunately,many communities assume thatnew reservoirs are the only optionfor increasing water supplies, thatlarge centralized projects areworth the enormous expense, andthat the loss of free flowing riversis a price we must pay to haveenough water. Reservoirs will beeven less effective in a warmingclimate, as higher temperatureswill increase losses to evapora-tion. There are better ways tomanage our water resources. Aswith energy, efficiency should bethe first principle applied to waterresources. The U.S. Environmen-tal Protection Agency’s newWaterSense Program, modeledafter the successful EnergyStarlabeling system, will providenational water efficiency stan-dards and will help the publicselect water-efficient products.Replacing older toilets with highefficiency models could save900 billion gallons of water ayear — enough to supply 10 mil-lion homes.While domestic water effi-

ciency can help buffer againstdroughts, agricultural and indus-trial water use must also beaddressed. Agriculture accountsfor 80 percent of water consump-tion in this country and more than90 percent in arid western states.There have been some increasesin agricultural water use effi-ciency, but there is still greatroom for improvement.As we increase water effi-

ciency, some of the water savingsneed to be returned to the riversso that they can be resilient in theface of a changing climate,remain healthy and provide theirmany benefits. Wildlife andecosystems have evolved todepend on a range of flows, andtheir survival will be in jeopardyif river flows are always kept at abare minimum. Increasing effi-

ciency and boosting river flowswill provide a buffer that willenhance human and ecosystemresilience and ensure healthywatersheds and adequate watersupplies even during droughts.

Improve theQuality and Mix ofInfrastructureThroughout much of Americanhistory, rivers have been treatedas problems that must be“solved” through large-scaleengineering projects. As a result,rivers have been clogged withdams, straightened and channel-ized, severed from their flood-plains or even buriedunderground. Unfortunately,these approaches have oftenexacerbated the very problemsthey were meant to solve. Forexample, despite spending morethan $25 billion on federal leveesand dams, national flood lossescontinue to rise. A similar pat-tern is evident for wastewatertreatment. Rather than treatingpollution at its source, we haveoften opted for complex andexpensive treatment systems orhave ignored the problem andused rivers as a dumping groundfor untreated waste.When it comes to floods, tra-

ditional “hard” infrastructureshould be the last line ofdefense. Engineered solutionscan be very costly and inflexible,responding to a very narrowrange of anticipated conditions.Rather than building new leveesand reservoirs, we need torestore wetlands, remove incen-tives for floodplain development,and allow rivers to follow natu-ral, meandering channels. Napa,California solved flooding prob-lems by restoring their river toits natural floodplain, and thecity has saved lives and moneyin the process.Other communities have used

rain gardens and green roofs toretain stormwater and reduce theneed for costly sewer expansion

projects. Investment in hardinfrastructure will still be neededin coming years as old projectsreach the end of their lifespans.However, it is essential that wedevelop a mix of traditional andgreen approaches.

HOPE FOR THE FUTUREIn the coming decades we face awarming climate and an uncer-tain future. But there is hope. Wehave tried-and-true tools at ourdisposal that can help us adapt.We also know what needs to bedone to stop global warmingfrom reaching catastrophic lev-els. Our limitations are not tech-nical, but political. The realchallenge is to find the will tomake it happen in time.

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Penobscot RiverMAINE

The Penobscot, New England’ssecond largest river, was listedevery year from 1989 to 1996because of existing or proposeddams. Our efforts, along withthose of our strong local part-ners, blocked new dams andhelped spur a landmark agree-ment in 2004 to remove twodams and improve operations on

a third. In the lastyear we were able tosecure $10 millionfrom the federal gov-ernment whichmatches the fundingpreviously raisedfrom private and pub-lic sources andassures that the powercompany will relin-quish three of its

dams, making the restoration ofthe river inevitable. These effortswill help bring backthe fabled Atlanticsalmon and otherfish and wildlife,and will create neweconomic opportu-nities connected toa healthy river.

Columbia River’sHanford ReachWASHINGTON

The Hanford Reach is the lastfree-flowing stretch of the Colum-bia River and supports the onlyreliably harvestable runs of chi-nook salmon in the upper Colum-bia and Snake rivers. The HanfordReach was listed in 1997 and wasnumber one in 1998 because ofthe threat of harmful land devel-opment. Our advocacy helpedcreate the Hanford ReachNational Monument in 2000,protecting the 51-mile HanfordReach and almost 200,000 acresof surrounding lands.

AMERICA’SMOST ENDANGERED

RIVERSSUCCESS STORIES

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Clarks Forkof the YellowstoneMONTANA, WYOMING

The Clarks Fork of the Yellow-stone was number one on the listfor three straight years from1994 to 1996. The river andnearby Yellowstone NationalPark were threatened by the pro-

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posed New World gold mine.Toxic waste from the mine wouldhave posed an unacceptable riskto clean water, fish and wildlife,and the millions of Americanswho enjoy the park. In 1996 ourefforts culminated in a Presiden-tial Action to stop the mine andprotect this national treasure.

Susquehanna RiverNEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA,MARYLAND

At risk from sewage pollution anddam construction, the Susque-hanna was number one on the listin 2005. Within days of thereport’s release, the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agencydropped its proposal to adopt anew policy which would havelegalized the dumping of partiallytreated sewage into the Susque-hanna and other rivers across thecountry. In 2008, the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers denied thepermit to construct an inflatabledam on the river, killing the ill-advised proposal.

Blackfoot RiverMONTANA

The threat of acyanide heap-leachgold mine landed theBlackfoot, one ofMontana’s great troutstreams and recre-ation destinations, onthe list in 1998. Themine, which wouldhave been developedless than a quarter-mile from the river’sedge, carried the risk

of pollution from cyanide andacid mine drainage. Shortly afterthe report’s release, voters inMontana enacted a ballot initia-tive banning the use of cyanidein extracting gold in the state.

Wolf RiverWISCONSIN

At risk from a zinc and coppersulfide mine, the Wolf River, one

of the last wild rivers in the Mid-west, was on the list in 1995,1997 and 1998. The mine,located at the Wolf’s headwaters,would have dumped 44 milliontons of waste into this NationalWild and Scenic River, threaten-

ing trout, sturgeon, and thearea’s recreation and tourism.Mine pollution also threatenedwild rice beds and sacred landsof the Menominee, SokaogonChippewa, and Potawatomitribes. Thousands spoke outagainst the mine, and in 2003two tribes bought the mine site.The land purchase killed themine proposal, and ensured thearea will be protected to sup-port clean water, tourism jobsand tribal culture.

Altamaha RiverGEORGIA

Proposals fornew dams andpower plantsthat wouldreduce riverlevels, destroyhabitat and con-centrate pollu-tion put theAltamaha onthe list in 2002.Our reporthighlighted theneed for increased water andenergy efficiency as an alterna-tive to these irresponsibleproposals. Following the list-ing, the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers rescinded its permitfor a new reservoir on a tribu-tary of the river.

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McCrystal CreekNEW MEXICO

The threat of coalbed methanedrilling put McCrystal Creek inthe Valle Vidal region of NewMexico on the list in 2005.Shortly after the report’s release,the state of New Mexico tookaction to protect this pristine andbeautiful stream from drillingand other harmful developmentby designating all the surfacewaters of the Valle Vidal as Out-standing Resource Waters.

Canning RiverALASKA

Flowing through Alaska’s ArcticNational Wildlife Refuge, theCanning River, threatened by oilexploration and drilling, waslisted in 2001 and 2002. For theCanning, energy developmentwould have meant the pumpingof millions of gallons of water,huge new gravel mines in itsfloodplain, and serious distur-bance to fish, polar bears andother sensitive wildlife. So far,Congress has blocked severalattempts by drilling proponentsto open the refuge to oil and gasdevelopment.

ONE TO WATCH.. .

Yazoo River andBig Sunflower RiverMISSISSIPPI

For almost 70 years, the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers hasbeen trying to push through a plannow estimated to cost $220 mil-lion to drain more than 200,000acres (an area greater than all fiveboroughs of NewYork City) ofwetlands in northwestern Missis-sippi to enhance production ofsubsidized crops. The threat ofthis enormously destructive“Yazoo Pumps” project landed theYazoo River in the AMERICA’SMOST ENDANGEREDRIVERSTM report in 1997, 2002,2003 and 2004 and the Big Sun-flower River in the report in 1997.Fortunately, the U.S. Environmen-tal Protection Agency has begun aClean Water Act veto process tokill the proposal. When this boon-doggle is buried for good, it willbe a victory for fish and wildlife,natural flood protection, and com-mon sense.

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San Mateo CreekCALIFORNIA

A proposed toll road landed SanMateo Creek number two on thelist in 2007. The 16-mile longroad would have cut through thecreek, causing significant dam-age to the watershed and to surf-ing at the world-famous TrestlesBeach, whose reef depends onthe creek for sand and cobbles.The voices of thousands ofCalifornians helped convince theCalifornia Coastal Commissionto deny the road proposal inFebruary 2008.

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The Catawba-Wateree River hasserved communities in theSoutheast for thousands of years.This regional treasure was hometo some of the first NativeAmerican tribes encountered byEuropeans in the United States.The river now provides drinkingwater to millions, supports amyriad of local industries, and

AMERICA’S MOSTENDANGERED RIVERSTM:2008 EDITIONSUMMARIES

NUMBER 2

ROGUE RIVEROREGON

THREAT: LOGGING ANDROAD CONSTRUCTION

The Rogue River is one of themost renowned rivers in thecountry, famous for its excep-tional scenery, biodiversity,world-class fishing, and thrillingwhitewater boating. One of theeight original rivers protected inthe national Wild and ScenicRivers System in 1968, theRogue supports a thriving recre-ation economy and draws thou-sands of anglers, boaters andhikers each year. But proposalsto clearcut old-growth forestalong key streams that feed theRogue threaten to choke theriver with sediment and destroythe river’s wild character. UnlessCongress kills these destructivelogging plans and permanentlyprotects Rogue River tributaries,

the amazingand uniquewonders ofthe wildRoguewill be lostto futuregenerations.

sustains the high quality of liferesidents enjoy. However, underthis rich exterior, the Catawba-Wateree River is being drainedaway by water mismanagementand explosive populationgrowth. These threats, combinedwith predictions of more fre-quent droughts due to globalwarming, impair the river’shealth and its ability to providefor residents in the future is atrisk. North Carolina and SouthCarolina have a choice: they cancontinue to demonstrate ineffec-tual river management andmove toward a future of waterscarcity and uncertainty, orembrace river protection andsustainable water use to ensurea thriving economy and highquality of life for years to come.

NUMBER 1

CATAWBA-WATEREE RIVERNORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA

THREAT: OUTDATED WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT

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NUMBER 5

MINNESOTA RIVERSOUTH DAKOTA, MINNESOTA

THREAT: PROPOSED COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT

The Minnesota River is treasured by thousands of residents andvisitors who swim, boat, fish and hunt in and along the river. But aproposed coal-fired power plant threatens the health of the river andnearby communities. In addition to spewing greenhouse gases andother toxins, cooling and scrubbing mechanisms within the plantwould require billions of gallons of water every year. The MinnesotaPublic Utilities Commission must deny the Certificate of Need andinstead encourage the use of energy efficiency measures and renew-able energy resources.

NUMBER 4

ST. LAWRENCE RIVERNEW YORK, CANADA

THREAT: OUTDATED DAM MANAGEMENT PLAN

The St. Lawrence River provides drinking water, scenic beauty, recre-ation and economic opportunities for millions of people in the UnitedStates andCanada. But anoutdated man-agement plancreated half acentury ago hasharmed theriver’s healthand is threaten-ing its lucrativetourism andrecreation econ-omy, and qualityof life. For thefirst time in 50 years the management plan is up for revision. The Inter-national Joint Commission, an independent, bi-national organizationestablished by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, must choose a planthat will restore the river’s health and benefit its many communities.

NUMBER 3

CACHE LA POUDRERIVERCOLORADO

THREAT: WATER DIVER-SION AND RESERVOIRPROJECT

Colorado’s only Wild and Sce-nic River, the Cache la PoudreRiver, or “Poudre,” is thelifeblood of the cities andfarms it serves. But its futureis threatened by a water diver-sion scheme that would stretchthe river beyond its limits in

order to quenchfuture devel-opment else-where. TheU.S. ArmyCorps ofEngineersmust deny thisflawed pro-posal, and askinvolved Col-orado citiesand waterdistricts toimplement

simple water conservation andefficiency measures instead.If they do not, communities,agricultural operations, andother businesses may nolonger be able to enjoy themyriad benefits the PoudreRiver now offers.

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NUMBER 8

ALLAGASH WILDERNESS WATERWAYMAINE

THREAT: LOSS OF WILD AND SCENIC RIVER PROTECTIONS

Once a crown jewel of the nation’s Wild and Scenic Rivers System, theunique character of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in northernMaine is in jeopardy. State river managers are being pressured to diluteor strip protections that safeguard the river’s recreational, economic andecological values. In 2008, the 40th anniversary of the Wild and ScenicRivers Act, the state must strengthen, not weaken, protections for theAllagash and, by example, help uphold the integrity of rivers protectedunder the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act nationwide.

NUMBER 6

ST. JOHNS RIVERFLORIDA

THREAT: UNSUSTAINABLE WATER APPROPRIATIONS

The St. Johns River provides scenic beauty, recreationalopportunities, and important fish and wildlife habitat. Butthe river is threatened by a water withdrawal proposal thatwould cost taxpayers billions, fuel more runaway sprawl,and damage the river’s ecology. Instead of taking preciousfreshwater from the fragile St. Johns, water managersshould implement proven conservation and efficiency meas-ures that will not only save the river’s health, but protect thelong-term sustainability of community water supplies.

NUMBER 7

GILA RIVERNEW MEXICO, ARIZONA

THREAT: WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

New Mexico’s last free-flowing river, the Gila is threatened byan archaic and costly water diversion project despite the factthat future water supply needs can be met through cheaperalternatives. The unnecessary diversion would not only harmthe river’s health but would negatively impact a region wherethe economy and residents’ quality of life increasingly dependon natural values. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson mustcontinue to protect the Gila River and ensure that state deci-sionmakers consider and implement cheaper, more effective,and less damaging water supply alternatives.

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NUMBER 9

PEARL RIVERMISSISSIPPI , LOUISIANA

THREAT: IRRESPONSIBLE FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT

The Pearl River is a recreation oasis for nearby communities, an impor-tant source of drinking water, and an essential refuge for fish andwildlife. But developers want to dam and dredge the river to create arti-ficial lakes and islands for private development at a staggering cost totaxpayers. This boondoggle would destroy vital floodplain wetlands,cause irreparable harm to the Pearl River, and actually place people inthe path of potential floods. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers andlocal governments need to reject this proposal for private profit at tax-payer expense and instead champion a comprehensive plan to protectand restore the Pearl River and its natural flood protection attributes.

NUMBER 10

NIOBRARA RIVERWYOMING, NEBRASKA

THREAT: UNSUSTAINABLE IRRIGATION DIVERSIONS

The Niobrara River is one of only two Wild and Scenic Rivers inNebraska and is a regional and national treasure for its fish andwildlife, recreation opportunities, and tourism. But excessive irrigationdiversions,largely a resultof rising cornprices forethanol produc-tion, are shrink-ing its flows andthreateningthese values.Water managersmust act to pre-vent excessivewithdrawals toprotect theriver’s health andthe many quality of life benefits it provides to human and natural com-munities.

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GLOBAL WARMINGAND MISGUIDED HUMAN ACTIONS

BOTH THREATEN RIVERS, BUT

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Learn about America’s Most Endangered

Rivers™ of 2008 and then take action

to encourage decisionmakers to do the

right thing for

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N U M B E R 1Catawba-Wateree River NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA

THREAT: OUTDATED WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT

SummaryThe Catawba-Wateree Riverhas served communities inthe Southeast for thousandsof years. This regional treas-ure was home to some of thefirst Native American tribesencountered by Europeans inthe United States. The rivernow provides drinking waterto millions, supports a myr-iad of local industries, andsustains the high quality oflife residents enjoy. However,under this rich exterior, theCatawba-Wateree River isbeing drained away by watermismanagement and explo-sive population growth.These threats, combined withpredictions of more frequentdroughts due to global warm-ing, impair the river’s healthand its ability to provide forresidents in the future is atrisk. North Carolina andSouth Carolina have a

choice: they can continue todemonstrate ineffectual rivermanagement and movetoward a future of waterscarcity and uncertainty, orembrace river protection andsustainable water use toensure a thriving economyand high quality of life foryears to come.

The RiverThe Catawba River originatesin the fabled Blue RidgeMountains of western NorthCarolina and flows throughthe Charlotte metropolitanarea before reaching SouthCarolina, where its namechanges to the Wateree River.It eventually reaches its con-fluence with the CongareeRiver southeast of the city ofColumbia. The river suppliesdrinking water to 1.3 millionpeople on its heavily popu-lated lower reaches, including

the towns of Morganton,Hickory and Charlotte, NorthCarolina, and Rock Hill,Lancaster and Camden,South Carolina. The basin ishome to threatened andendangered species such asthe shortnose sturgeon,robust redhorse, Schweinitz'ssunflower and the Carolinaheelsplitter mussel. TheCatawba-Wateree Riversustains the world’s second-

CATAWBA-WATEREERIVER AT-A-GLANCERIVER LENGTH: 300 milesWATERSHED AREA: 5,665square milesLARGEST CITY IN THEWATERSHED: Charlotte, NC(pop. 695,995)DID YOU KNOW? TheCatawba-Wateree Riverwatershed is the mostpopulated in NorthCarolina.

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coal and two nuclear powerplants as well as paper,chemical and textile manu-facturing plants depend onthe river for water supply.These industries and othersthat depend on the Catawba-Wateree River provide thou-sands of jobs and millionsof dollars in revenue to localcommunities.

TO TAKE ACTION: WWW.AMERICANRIVERS.ORG/ENDANGEREDRIVERS

largest population of the rarerocky shoals spider lily.Each spring, residents andvisitors flock to see the liliesblanket the river with theirshowy white blossoms. Theriver’s fish, wildlife, beautyand serenity attract 10 mil-lion visitors from across theregion annually. Boating,swimming, fishing and hik-ing along theriver generatemore than $95million forlocal communi-ties every yearand provide1,700 jobs inrecreation-based busi-nesses.

The Catawba-Watereebasin has supported humancommunities for thousandsof years. The river was origi-nally home to the CatawbaIndian Tribe, self-identified“people of the river” and theWateree Tribe, whose namecomes from a Catawbanword meaning “to float onthe water.” The Catawba-Wateree River was and iscentral to tribal identity.

In modern times, theriver also has been heavilydeveloped for energy pro-duction and impounded by11 hydropower dams. Four

The ThreatThe Catawba-Wateree Riverbasin is experiencingunprecedented demand forclean water due to exponen-tial population growth of theCharlotte metropolitan area,which spans several coun-ties in both North and SouthCarolina. The heart of thecity is in MecklenburgCounty, one of two NorthCarolina counties that rankamong the ten fastest-growing counties in thenation. The city is expectedto grow by 40 percent overthe next decade.

On top of this pressure,the Carolinas are experienc-ing one of the most severedroughts in recorded historyand, despite spring rains,drier than average condi-tions are expected to con-tinue. Climate scientistspredict devastating droughtslike this one will becomemore frequent and severewith global warming.Lack of rain and over-tapped water supplies arecombining to create a

Tribal connections to theCatawba-Wateree River rundeep. The river has beencentral to local NativeAmerican communities forthousands of years.

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dangerous situation forNorth and South Carolinacommunities.

In the midst of 21st-cen-tury progress, Southeast res-idents are still burdened by a19th-century approach towater supply. North andSouth Carolina are not pre-pared to manage their waterresources under current con-ditions, let alone deal withthe new long-term conse-quences and effects of globalwarming. Most local leaderscall for water use reductionsonly after the onset ofdrought. In the absence ofadequate planning, commu-nities are forced during theseperiods to make desperategrabs for clean water, whichonly serve to reinforce theirwasteful habits. One recentexample is the permittedtransfer of 10 million gal-lons per day from theCatawba-Wateree River tothe cities of Concord andKannapolis, North Carolina,located in the Yadkin-PeeDee River basin. Robbingwater from the Catawba-Wateree and rerouting it to aseparate watershed willdeprive downstream humanand natural communities ofa vital flow of water. More-over, some of this water willgo to support wasteful usessuch as a new water park inthe city of Concord. Siphon-ing off the Catawba-WatereeRiver will only lead to evenlower water levels, poorerwater quality, and decreasedrecreational access andindustrial productivity. If the states continue to squan-der their water resources, the river will not be able tosustain the communities,fish and wildlife that dependon it.

What’s At StakeThe Catawba-Wateree Riveris the epicenter in the colli-sion between limited watersupply and unchecked devel-opment in the Southeast.Already, South Carolina andNorth Carolina are battlingfor control over more waterfrom the Catawba-Watereebasin in the U.S. SupremeCourt. If both states don’tsubstantially improve riverresource management, theecological, industrial and

What Can Be DoneImplementation of sensiblewater supply and efficiencypolicies throughout theCatawba-Wateree River basinand passage of effective state-wide water withdrawal regula-tions in North Carolina andSouth Carolina could put thishigh-speed train to waterscarcity onto a smarter course.

North Carolina and SouthCarolina must develop andadopt progressive state waterefficiency plans that empha-

recreational values of theriver will be drained away.

The current drought,combined with water supplymismanagement and over-allocation, hasdewatered thou-sands of acres ofaquatic habitat,left muddy shore-lines devoid ofvegetation, andeliminated boatingaccess in manyrivers throughoutthe Southeast.

Without ade-quate river flows,utility companies,mills, and manufacturingfacilities that depend on theCatawba-Wateree River willfounder, the region’s robustrecreation industry willcrumble, quality of life willdiminish, and plant andwildlife populations will suffer.

Rapid development in theCatawba-Wateree River basinthreatens to drain away theriver’s ecological, industrialand recreational values.

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The Catawba-Wateree and

Globa l Warming

Removing more waterto fuel poorlyplanned developmentwould further reducewater levels andinhibit the river’sability to adapt toglobal warming.Already, recentdroughts have pro-duced record lowwater flows in tribu-tary streams andreservoirs on theriver. Water effi-ciency and conserva-tion planning canhelp meet currentdemands withoutsacrificing theCatawba-WatereeRiver or the commu-nities and wildlifethat rely on it.

size conservingwater year-roundrather than onlywhen drought hasalready arrived.These plans must direct fund-ing towards infrastructureupgrades and distribution ofwater-saving appliances tousers at reduced cost. Indus-tries and municipalities mustbe required to utilize provenwater efficiency technolo-gies. Such policies willenable communities to livewithin realistic “water budg-ets” and maintain healthywater resources, eliminatingthe need for future interbasintransfers from the Catawba-Wateree River and others.

As a necessary first steptowards maintaining healthy

flows, NorthCarolina andSouth Car-olina musttrack theamount ofsurface watereach userwithdrawsand establishenforceableguidelines

regarding maximum with-drawals. The South CarolinaLegislature must enact newsurface water laws that estab-

lish withdrawal regulationsand guarantee that enoughclean water remains inrivers and lakes to fullysupport all users includinganglers, boaters andwildlife. The goal should beto maximize community

health — not water with-drawals. The North CarolinaLegislature should updatecurrent surface water regu-lations during the 2009legislative session, whichbegins in January. Thisupdate must include waterflow requirements that ade-quately protect the ecologi-cal, recreational andeconomic values of thestate’s rivers.


CONTACT INFO

Gerrit Jöbsis, American Rivers, 803-771-7114,[email protected]. David Merryman, Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation,704-679-9494, [email protected] Pickle, Southern Environmental Law Center (NC),919-967-1450, [email protected] Holman, Southern Environmental Law Center (SC),919-302-6819, [email protected]

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N U M B E R 2R o gue R i ve r OREGON

THREAT: LOGGING AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION

SummaryThe Rogue River is one ofthe most renowned rivers inthe country, famous for itsexceptional scenery, biodiver-sity, world-class fishing, andthrilling whitewater boating.One of the eight originalrivers protected in thenational Wild and ScenicRivers System in 1968, theRogue supports a thrivingrecreation economy anddraws thousands of anglers,boaters and hikers each year.But proposals to clearcut old-growth forest along keystreams that feed the Roguethreaten to choke the riverwith sediment and destroythe river’s wild character.Unless Congress kills thesedestructive logging plans andpermanently protects RogueRiver tributaries, the amazingand unique wonders of thewild Rogue will be lost tofuture generations.

The RiverOriginating from high moun-tain springs in the CascadeMountains of southern Ore-gon, the Rogue River — oneof the wildest and most stun-ning rivers in North America— flows 200 miles to thePacific Ocean. The Rogueboasts a diversity of plantsand wildlife unmatched any-where in the Pacific North-west. The river is alsoOregon’s largest producer ofPacific salmon outside of theColumbia River, with nearly100,000 salmon and steel-head returning each year.Tributary streams that feedthe lower Rogue are criticallyimportant spawning and rear-ing habitat for winter andsummer steelhead and cohosalmon. These fish are thebackbone of a sport and com-mercial fishing economyworth millions annually.

The national Wild and

Scenic Rivers System, a“national park system” forrivers, has protected 84 milesof the lower Rogue since1968. The lower Rogue isrevered for whitewater raftingand it is a destination for vis-itors to the historic wilder-ness cabin left behind byfamed adventure author ZaneGrey. This stretch of riversupports a strong tourism andrecreational boating industry,generating more than

ROGUE RIVERAT-A-GLANCERIVER LENGTH: 200 milesWATERSHED AREA: 5,169square milesLARGEST CITY IN THEWATERSHED: Medford, OR(pop. 75,675)DID YOU KNOW? The RogueRiver is one of the eightoriginal rivers protectedin the national Wild andScenic Rivers System.

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The Rogue andGloba l WarmingExposing the Rogue toadditional logging androad construction willdestroy stream buffersthat cool the river.Powerful storms pro-duced by global warm-ing will multiply theeffect of loggingactivities by washingsediment into theriver. These pressurescould wipe out one ofthe most vibrantsalmon fisheries inthe Northwest, whichis expected to losemuch of its cold-waterfish habitat as tem-peratures warm. Pro-tections that guardthe river’s pristinestate should beincreased, not relaxed,to protect the humanand natural communi-ties that rely on theRogue River.

$13 million annually for thelocal economy.

The ThreatThe Wild and Scenic Riverdesignation protects a half-mile corridor along theRogue River, but importantuplands and tributariesremain open to destructivelogging, road-building andother development that wouldhave serious impacts on theriver.

The Bureau of LandManagement (BLM), whichmanages more than 20 milesof the most beautiful andwild stretch of the Rogue, isproposing to log old-growthforest on key Rogue Rivertributaries. The BLM’sKelsey Whisky Project wouldbuild roads and log hundredsof acres of old-growth forestin the Kelsey, Whisky,Bunker and Meadow creekdrainages, degrading impor-tant salmon and steelheadhabitat and water quality.

Construction of new log-ging roads and clearcuttingold-growth trees will increasethe likelihood of sedimentflushing into Kelsey andWhisky creeks, chokingsalmon and steelhead habitat.The BLM has ignored itsown specialists who formallyrecommended keeping intactroadless areas and large inter-connected tracts of old-growth trees such as thosefound in the Kelsey WhiskyProject area to protect thehealth of the Rogue River.

The BLM also has pro-posed a long-term manage-ment plan that furtherthreatens the river. The West-ern Oregon Plan Revisions(WOPR) could open signifi-cant portions of the RogueRiver’s roadless area, ancientforests and free-flowingstreams to clearcut logging,road building and mining. Inaddition to the threats thisposes to the Rogue’s delicate

ecosystem, these harmfulactivities would scar the hill-sides of the Rogue’s impres-sive canyon country, marringthe scenery that attracts somany to the river.

What’s At StakeThe Rogue River is one ofthe crown jewels of thePacific Northwest’s andAmerica’s natural heritage. Itis a rare place where fami-lies, boaters and anglers canexperience and connect withwild nature. The river isessential to the recovery ofimperiled Pacific salmonruns, and home to an aston-ishing variety of plants andwildlife. It is the economicengine for local communitiesand businesses. More than 50businesses recently signed aletter to Oregon’s congres-sional delegation, asking forincreased protection for theRogue and its tributaries.

If we can’t protect one ofour nation’s most beautifuland best-loved rivers, whatcan we protect? If we let theRogue’s wild character bedestroyed, we will not onlydiminish one of our most

outstanding rivers, but alsothe integrity of the Wild andScenic Rivers Act — ournation’s foremost river pro-tection tool.

What Can Be DoneCongress, led by SenatorRon Wyden (D-OR) andRepresentative Peter DeFazio(D-OR) must grant Wild andScenic River protections to98 miles of vital tributaries inthe lower Rogue canyon anddesignate the unprotectedroadless areas in the Roguecanyon as Wilderness Areas.These protections wouldsafeguard these importantstreams, and the wild charac-ter of the Rogue, from pro-posals like the BLM’s KelseyWhisky Project as well asother harmful logging anddevelopment.

Additionally, the BLMmust scrap the current landmanagement alternatives inthe Western Oregon PlanRevisions and come up witha better plan that will protectthe clean water, fish andwildlife habitat, and recre-ation values of the RogueRiver and its tributaries.

CONTACT INFO

David Moryc, American Rivers, 202-347-7550 ext. 3069,[email protected] Kober, American Rivers, 206-213-0330 ext. 23,[email protected] Vaile, Save the Wild Rogue, 541-488-5789,[email protected]

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N U M B E R 3C a c h e l a Poud re R i ve r COLORADO

THREAT: WATER DIVERSION AND RESERVOIR PROJECT

SummaryColorado’s only Wild andScenic River, the Cache laPoudre River, or “Poudre,” isthe lifeblood of the cities andfarms it serves. But its futureis threatened by a waterdiversion scheme that wouldstretch the river beyond itslimits in order to quenchfuture development else-where. The U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers (Corps) mustdeny this flawed proposal,and ask involved Coloradocities and water districts toimplement simple water con-servation and efficiencymeasures instead. If they donot, communities, agricul-tural operations, and otherbusinesses may no longer beable to enjoy the myriadbenefits the Poudre Rivernow offers.

The RiverThe Poudre flows 140 milesfrom its protected headwatersin Rocky Mountain NationalPark to its confluence withthe South Platte River. Theriver’s unusual name comesfrom French fur trapperswho, as they warred withlocal Indian Tribes, hid theirgunpowder near the mouth ofthe river’s canyon. Theynamed the river the Cache laPoudre, or “hiding place forpowder.” Today, the Poudre’supper reaches sustain ahotspot for fly fishing, boat-ing, camping, hiking and ascenic respite from city life.However, as the Poudre exitsthe foothills and windsthrough the rapidly-growingcommunities of Laporte, FortCollins, Windsor and Gree-ley, the river becomes a slug-gish remnant of its mountain

glory. This unprotected sec-tion of the river has morethan 20 irrigation and munic-ipal water projects that divertwater from the river and sub-stantially reduce its flow.

The ThreatThe Poudre River is endan-gered by a proposal knownas the Northern IntegratedSupply Project (NISP)/GladeReservoir. This project would

POUDRE RIVERAT-A-GLANCERIVER LENGTH: 140 milesWATERSHED AREA: 1,882square milesLARGEST CITY IN THEWATERSHED: Fort Collins, CO(pop. 135,000)DID YOU KNOW? The Cachela Poudre River is the onlyWild and Scenic River inColorado.

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The Poudre andGloba l WarmingAs temperatures rise,snowpack willdecrease and melt ear-lier in the spring. As aresult, there will beless snowpack to feedthe Poudre during thedry summer months.Taking additionalwater from the riverfor the NISP/Gladeproject or other diver-sion schemes onlyincreases surroundingcommunities’ vulnera-bility to globalwarming. Improvingmunicipal and agricul-tural water efficiencyis a better solution forensuring a consistentwater supply underwarming conditions.

take an average of 40,000acre-feet from the river everyyear before it reaches FortCollins. A huge pumping sta-tion would be constructed onthe mainstem of the Poudreto pump and divert the waterto the Glade Reservoir. The177,000-acre-foot-capacityoff-stream reservoir would becreated in what is now a sce-nic valley to store water fromthe Poudre River. A majorhighway that runs throughthe valley would be reroutedfrom the proposed reservoirsite at a cost of tens of mil-lions of dollars. In additionto removing much-neededwater from the river,NISP/Glade would alsoeliminate the “June Rise,” anatural increase in flows thatoccurs when mountain snow-pack melts in the spring thatis critical to sustaining adynamic and healthy river.

Moreover, NISP/Gladewould divert water not toexisting communities, but tofuel future growth, the major-ity of which would be outsideof the Poudre River basin andin suburbs north of Denver.Municipalities and water dis-tricts financing the proposalhave not implemented signif-icant water-saving measuressuch as tiered water rates thatprovide an incentive for cus-tomers to use less water.This, coupled with the use ofwater-saving appliances andimplementation of agricul-tural water efficiency tech-nologies such as pivot or dripirrigation could help elimi-nate need for NISP/Gladealtogether. If utilized, suchmeasures would allow thesecommunities to thrive usingless water from the PoudreRiver and grow in a smartand sustained manner.

What’s At StakeFort Collins considers thePoudre River to be one of its“economic engines” due to

the river’s recreational andcommercial values as well asits proximity to downtown.Dozens of Fort Collins busi-nesses have direct economicties to both the upper andlower Poudre. If completed,NISP/Glade, in combinationwith existing water projectson the river’s lower reaches,will reduce the Poudre to amere trickle before it reachesthe city, and eliminate theresource upon which thesebusinesses depend.

Due to the many existingwater diversions, wetlandsare stressed and invasivealgae infestations are com-mon. Stretches of the riverrun dry at certain times ofyear, causing widespreadfish kills. Surrounding cot-tonwood and willow forests,which cool the water, filterurban runoff, and slow stormflows, are already decliningdue to insufficient water.These problems will be

exacerbated if NISP/Gladeis constructed.

What Can Be DoneCommunities and waterdistricts financing thismisguided project mustimplement comprehensivewater conservation and effi-ciency measures before con-sidering new water pumpingor storage. If they do not,the Corps must heed publicconcern and refuse to issuethe necessary section 404Clean Water Act permit forNISP/Glade.

There are several billsmoving through the Col-orado Legislature that wouldhelp permanently allocatewater to Colorado rivers.State legislators from FortCollins are deeply commit-ted to protecting the Poudre,and other members of thestate legislature should sup-port these bills for the futureof all Colorado’s rivers.

CONTACT INFODarcy Nonemacher, American Rivers, 206-213-0330 ext. 16,[email protected] Wockner, Save the Poudre Coalition, 970-218-8310,[email protected]

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N U M B E R 4S t . L aw ren c e R i ve r NEW YORK, CANADA

THREAT: OUTDATED DAM MANAGEMENT PLAN

SummaryThe great St. Lawrence Riverprovides drinking water, sce-nic beauty, recreation andeconomic opportunities formillions of people in theUnited States and Canada.But an outdated managementplan created half a centuryago has harmed the river’shealth and is threatening itslucrative tourism and recre-ation economy, and quality oflife. For the first time in 50years the management plan isup for revision. The Interna-tional Joint Commission(IJC), an independent,bi-national organizationestablished by the BoundaryWaters Treaty of 1909, mustchoose a plan that willrestore the river’s healthand benefit its many commu-nities.

The RiverForming the border betweenCanada and the northeasternUnited States, the St.Lawrence River flows 744miles from Lake Ontario intoone of North America’slargest estuaries, the Gulf ofSt. Lawrence. The river hasan enormous drainage area— 518,996 square miles —and forms the outflow for theGreat Lakes, the world’slargest freshwater system.The river is known through-out the Northeast as one ofthe great freshwater sportfishing grounds for pike,bass and muskellunge, andalso hosts a commercial fish-ery for American eel, theharvest of which has dramati-cally declined in recent yearsdue to eel population losses.In fact, the American eel hasrecently been considered acandidate for listing under

the Endangered Species Act,in large part due to theimpact of dams and otherhabitat destruction. The riveris home to many otherendangered and threatenedspecies such as the lake stur-geon, Eastern sand darter andperegrine falcon.

The St. Lawrence Riverhas served as a major trans-portation corridor for morethan 200 years. Today, the

ST. LAWRENCE RIVERAT-A-GLANCERIVER LENGTH: 744 milesWATERSHED AREA: 518,996square milesNUMBER OF CITIES WITHPOPULATION GREATER THAN100,000: 10 citiesDID YOU KNOW? The St.Lawrence River drains theplanet's largest freshwaterbody, the Great Lakes.

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river provides drinking waterand a vital tourism-basedeconomy for communities inthe United States andCanada. As the river emergesfrom Lake Ontario, its pathforms a unique island para-dise known as the ThousandIslands, which provide habi-tat for a wide variety ofwildlife and sustain a $445million annual tourism econ-omy. This region and othersalong the St. Lawrence pro-vide some of the best recre-ational experiences in theNortheast, including swim-ming, camping, boating,hunting, scuba diving andworld class fishing.

The ThreatConstructed in 1958 to har-ness hydropower on the St.Lawrence River, the Moses-Saunders Dam controls out-flows and water levels on theriver and Lake Ontario. Untilnow, the river has been man-aged to benefit a few specialinterests such as commercialnavigation and hydropower.Since environmental consid-erations were not part of theplanning process in the1950s, operation of the damdoes not allow for the varia-tions in natural flow that areessential to a healthy river.

After 50 years, this anti-quated management plan isnow up for revision. One pro-posed management alterna-tive, Plan B+, would allowwater flows to more closelymimic natural conditions.These natural rhythms arecritical to the river’s healthand its web of life. The IJC’sown five-year study, releasedin 2006, found that the cur-rent artificially-constrainedwater level fluctuation hassignificantly reduced thediversity of plant species inriver wetlands, which in turnhas impacted populations ofmany fish and other wildlife.

The study, based onresearch from more than180 scientists from theUnited States and Canada,concluded that more naturalflow is necessary to reverse50 years of damage to theregion’s coastal wetlands,and that a diverse environ-ment will better resist otherenvironmental threats to theGreat Lakes. Fortunately,Plan B+ lays out a way todo this while continuing todeliver consistent economicbenefits from hydropowerand commercial navigation.

Plan B+ has beenendorsed by a majority ofthe study board members aswell as regional electedofficials, federal and stateagencies, and local andnational conservation organ-izations, and has enjoyedbroad public supportthroughout the region. Yetthe IJC is shying away frommaking the responsiblechoice.

What’s At StakeDespite growing threats, theSt. Lawrence River still sus-tains a high quality of lifeand vital economy for resi-dents, and is home to many

fish and wildlife species.However, as long as this anti-quated management planremains in place, it will con-tinue to degrade one ofNorth America’s great riverecosystems and increase thelikelihood of further damageto the St. Lawrence River,the Great Lakes and commu-nities that depend on theriver’s health for sustenanceand economic vitality. If theriver’s ecology is furthercompromised, drinking watersupplies, commercial andsport fisheries, tourism rev-enues, and the high qualityof life residents now enjoymay be diminished.

What Can Be DoneThe outdated river manage-ment plan must be replacedwith a new, sustainable waterlevel regulation plan, as sup-ported by the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service, the NewYork State Department ofEnvironmental Conservation,and many conservationgroups. The IJC is expectedto make the final decision bythe summer of 2008. TheCommission must follow therecommendations of thestudy and endorse Plan B+.

CONTACT INFOStephanie Lindloff, American Rivers, 518-482-2631,

[email protected]

Jennifer Caddick, Save the River/Upper St. Lawrence River-

keeper, 315-686-2010, [email protected]

The St .Lawrence and

Globa l WarmingGlobal warming isexpected to signifi-cantly alter the GreatLakes and St.Lawrence River.Warmer water tem-peratures anddecreased ice coverwill result in lowerwater levels that willthreaten water sup-ply, wildlife andrecreation. AdoptingPlan B+ will have asignificant and directpositive impact oncoastal wetlands, inturn, creating a riverecosystem that isable to thrive. Athriving ecosystem iscritical if a healthySt. Lawrence River isto "weather" theserious threats posedby global warming.Recommended imple-mentation wouldenable Plan B+ toevolve in response,ensuring that waterlevels controlled bythe dam are notharmful to the St.Lawrence Riverecosystem. Thiswould safeguardcommunities fromanother static 50-year managementplan that doesn'treflect the mostup-to-date science— a necessity in anera of climacticuncertainty.

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SummaryThe Minnesota River is treas-ured by thousands of resi-dents and visitors who swim,boat, fish and hunt in andalong the river. But a pro-posed coal-fired power plantthreatens the health of theriver and nearby communi-ties. In addition to spewinggreenhouse gases and othertoxins, cooling and scrubbingmechanisms within the plantwould require billions of gallons of water every year.The Minnesota Public Utili-ties Commission (PUC) mustdeny the Certificate of Needand instead encourage theuse of energy efficiencymeasures and renewableenergy resources.

The RiverThe Minnesota River runs335 miles from the Min-nesota-South Dakota borderto St. Paul, Minnesota where

it joins the Mississippi. TheUpper Minnesota River val-ley is considered to be one ofthe largest intact ecosystemsin the Upper Midwest andcontains the nation’s oldestexposed rock outcroppings,estimated to be 3.4 billionyears old. According tosportsmen and resource con-servation professionals, theMinnesota River is todaysupporting a resurgence ofwildlife not seen along theriver for 100 years, includingthe American eel, lake stur-geon, bald eagle, cougar,coyote and river otter.

Moreover, the Minnesota,literally “land where thewater reflects the skies” inthe native Dakota language,is an extraordinary recre-ational resource. The river isbecoming one of Minnesota’sfast-growing tourist destina-tions due to its wild andundeveloped reaches.

Tourism brings hundreds ofmillions of dollars into theregional economy, much ofwhich depends on a healthyMinnesota River.

The ThreatFive private and municipalpower companies have pro-posed a $1.6 billion coal-fired power plant known asBig Stone II (BSII) at theriver’s headwaters in SouthDakota’s Big Stone Lake.The new 500-580 megawatt

MINNESOTA RIVERAT-A-GLANCE

RIVER LENGTH: 335 milesWATERSHED AREA: 15,000square milesLARGEST CITY IN WATERSHED:Bloomington, MN (pop. 85,000)DID YOU KNOW?The Minnesota River is thestate’s largest tributary tothe Mississippi River. Wherethe Minnesota River flowsinto the Mississippi River,the flow of the Mississipidoubles.

N U M B E R 5

M i n n e s o t a R i ve r SOUTH DAKOTA, MINNESOTA

THREAT: PROPOSED COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT

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CONTACT INFO

Will Hewes, American Rivers, 202-347-7550 ext. 3054,[email protected] Sparlin, Coalition for a Clean Minnesota River,507-276-2280, [email protected] Moore, Clean Up our River Environment,320-269-2984, [email protected] Nelson, Friends of the Minnesota Valley, 952-881-9065,[email protected]

The Minnesotaand Globa lWarming

In the near term,water withdrawals forthe proposed coal-fired power plant willcompound evaporativelosses resulting fromhigher temperatures,threatening the river’swater supply andrecreation benefits.The plant also wouldintensify global warm-ing impacts in thefuture. If built today,this plant will likelybe in operation for 50years. Five decades ofgreenhouse gas emis-sions will make itmore difficult to avoidcatastrophic climatechange. Wind and bio-mass energy would bea safer choice for theMinnesota River andsurrounding communi-ties both now and inthe future.

plant would withdraw up to3.2 billion gallons of waterper year. South Dakota hasgranted permits for this waterwithdrawl without conveningthe Minnesota-South DakotaBoundary Waters Commis-sion. The Commission is atwo-state governing body thatwas established to settle suchwater use conflicts betweenthe states when a nearby coal-fired power plant known asBig Stone I (BSI) went intooperation in 1975.

Already, there is debateover whether BSII is needed.After a major utility backedout of the project last fall,questions have been raisedabout the remaining utilities’need for the plant. Likewise,the Minnesota Department ofCommerce believes three ofthe five involved utilities donot need additional power.Power that is needed could bemet more cheaply throughimproved energy efficiency,conservation and cultivationof renewable energy sources.

What’s At StakeBSII’s enormous water con-sumption would have seriousimplications for the Min-nesota River. By loweringwater levels BSII is likely toincrease the potential for fishkills, concentrate nutrient pol-lution and create conditionsthat are harmful to the healthof the river downstream. Thiswill be exacerbated by fore-casts of drought brought onby global warming.

Coal-fired power plantsare the largest emitters of mer-cury, a potent neurotoxin thatcan cause permanent braindamage, in the United States.The Minnesota River isalready listed as an impairedfishery due to the presence ofmercury. The smaller BSIplant is widely believed to bea major source, and if BSII isconstructed, the level of mer-cury in the Minnesota River is

likely to rise. Together, theBSI and proposed BSII plantsare permitted to emit 400pounds of mercury per yearfor the first three years ofBSII’s operation. Even if theinvolved utility companiesfollow through on theirpledge to reduce emissions to80-90 pounds per year there-after, the plant will releasemore than 4,000 pounds ofmercury over its 50-year-lifespan. In addition to spew-ing mercury, the BSII plantwould release as much as 4.3million tons of greenhousegases every year — morethan the output from half amillion automobiles. This willnegate efforts by Minnesotansto reduce carbon emissionsand further contribute toglobal warming.

Communities in theregion can obtain power incheaper and more environ-mentally friendly ways. Theregion has high wind poten-tial and is home to vastlyundeveloped biomass energyresources, both of which

could be tapped instead ofbuilding a new coal-firedpower plant. Improved energyefficiency and utilization ofrenewables would serve as aninvestment in the future,while construction of theoutdated BSII plant wouldbe a step backwards forMinnesotans.

What Can Be DoneThe Minnesota Public Utili-ties Commission will meet todecide whether or not toapprove a Certificate of Needfor the BSII plant this spring.The PUC must deny the Cer-tificate on the grounds thatenergy could be more cheaplyproduced and the BSII plantposes too great a risk to therecreation, economic develop-ment, and ecology of theMinnesota River. If the PUCfails to protect this importantpublic resource, MinnesotaGovernor Tim Pawlentyshould reconvene the Min-nesota-South Dakota Bound-ary Waters Commission toaddress this water use issue.

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N U M B E R 6S t . J o hn s R i ve r FLORIDA

THREAT: UNSUSTAINABLE WATER APPROPRIATIONS

ST. JOHNS RIVERAT-A-GLANCERIVER LENGTH: 310 milesWATERSHED AREA: 8,840square milesLARGEST CITY IN THE WATER-SHED: Jacksonville, FL (pop.834,789)PUBLIC LANDS IN WATERSHED:More than 985 square milesDID YOU KNOW? The St.Johns River is the longestriver in Florida.

SummaryThe St. Johns River providesscenic beauty, recreationalopportunities, and importantfish and wildlife habitat. Butthe river is threatened by awater withdrawal proposal thatwould cost taxpayers billions,fuel more runaway sprawl,and damage the river’s ecology.Instead of taking preciousfreshwater from the fragile St.Johns, water managers shouldimplement proven conservationand efficiency measures thatwill not only save the river’shealth, but protect the long-term sustainability of commu-nity water supplies.

The RiverThe St. Johns River is a slow-moving giant. The river dropsonly 30 vertical feet from ori-gin to mouth and expands tomore than three miles in widthin its lower sections. Theresulting low velocity creates a

delicately-balanced estuary atthe river’s mouth. Duringseasonal lows in river flowthis mix of fresh- and saltwa-ter reaches more than 40miles upstream from theAtlantic Ocean. In addition tohundreds of species of fish,amphibians and mollusks,this enormous estuary isalso home to unusual riverresidents such as dolphins,manatees and stingrays.

The St. Johns River hasbeen named one of 14 “Amer-ican Heritage Rivers” due tothe tremendous benefits it hasprovided Florida for genera-tions. Water from the St.Johns augments municipaldrinking water supplies forseveral small communities onits upper reaches. The healthof the St. Johns River also iscritical to the area’s multi-million-dollar recreationaland commercial fishing andtourism industries.

The ThreatUnprecedented growth anddevelopment threatens thehealth of the St. Johns Riverand its tributaries. FlaglerCounty, until recently thefastest-growing county in theU.S., is one of several coun-ties in the watershed experi-encing explosive growth.

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The St . Johnsand Globa lWarming

The St. Johns’ currentpollution problemswill only grow in awarmer climate. Pre-cipitation in Florida isexpected to decline,and warmer tempera-tures will increaseevaporation. At thesame time, severestorms will washnutrients and othercontaminants into theriver. All of thesechanges will increasethe risk of toxic algalblooms and may makethe river unsuitablefor recreation andwater supply. Greaterwater efficiency couldreturn more water tothe river and reducethe amount of energyneeded to transportand treat water.

may lose these values theriver now provides.

Water withdrawals mayfurther reduce the river’s abil-ity to flush pollutants and sed-iments from its waters andincrease the occurrence ofdamaging algal blooms. Addi-tionally, because the St. JohnsRiver has high salt and min-eral content, most with-drawals will require reverseosmosis, meaning that saltand other pollutants will beremoved from the water anddischarged back into the St.Johns, increasing their con-centrations. Finally, the pro-posed withdrawals will costFloridians more than $4 bil-lion, destroy the river’s ecol-ogy, and provide drinkingwater needs for only 10 years.

Simple and cost-effectivewater conservation and effi-ciency measures must be uti-lized in the watershed beforemore water is taken from theriver. Installation of low-maintenance landscaping,agricultural soil moisture sen-sors and reuse pipes in newdevelopment would go a longway towards bringing theregion’s per capita water use

down to the national average.Other measures includetiered water rates that encour-age ratepayers to use lesswater; rebates for low-flowappliances and fixtures; andincentives and opportunitiesfor Low Impact Developmentpractices for builders, devel-opers and homeowners.Implementation of thesemeasures would enable recre-ation, tourism and fishingindustries to continue tothrive and protect the highquality of life local residentsnow enjoy.

What Must Be DoneSeminole County has alreadysubmitted its permit request,and several water managersare likely to submit with-drawal applications in 2008.The SJRWMD Board of Gov-ernors should deny this andall other withdrawal permitsfor the St. Johns River.Instead, Seminole Countyand others seeking morewater from the St. Johnsmust develop more aggres-sive water conservation pro-grams before being allowedto withdraw more water.

Population in the St. JohnsRiver watershed is likely tonearly double by 2025. TheSt. Johns River Water Man-agement District (SJRWMD),a governmental body thatoversees area waters, is look-ing to the St. Johns and itsprincipal tributary, the Ock-lawaha River, to fuel thisgrowth. The SJRWMD claimscommunities will be able towithdraw 155 million gallonsper day from the St. JohnsRiver, in addition to 90 to 108million gallons per day fromthe Ocklawaha. But the St.Johns cannot afford to loseflows. Water levels have hithistorical lows in recentyears, and the river’s charac-teristic low velocity makes itslow to flush nutrients andother pollution. The FloridaDepartment of EnvironmentalProtection lists the lower St.Johns as impaired for nutri-ents, which feed periodicuncontrolled algal blooms inthe river, deplete dissolvedoxygen, and produce fish-killing toxins, which irritatehuman skin and can causenausea and vomiting in casesof extended exposure.

Moreover, the SJRWMDlikely does not need morewater than it already has.Water conservation is not apriority of the SJRWMD.District residents now use160 gallons of water percapita every day —60 gallons more than thenational average, and approxi-mately 50 percent goes towater thirsty lawns and non-native landscaping.

What’s at Stake?The removal of massive vol-umes of freshwater will altersalinity in the St. Johns Riverand negatively impact its richestuarine diversity. Communi-ties that depend on the St.Johns to sustain fisheries,wildlife habitat, eco-tourismand recreational activities

CONTACT INFOMatt Rice, American Rivers, 803-771-7206,[email protected] Armingeon, St. Johns Riverkeeper, 904-256-7591,[email protected]

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N U M B E R 7G i l a R i ve r

SummaryNew Mexico’s last free-flowing river, the Gila isthreatened by an archaic andcostly water diversion projectdespite the fact that futurewater supply needs can bemet through cheaper alterna-tives. The unnecessary diver-sion not only would harm theriver’s health but wouldnegatively impact a regionwhere the economy and resi-dents’ quality of life increas-ingly depend on naturalvalues. New Mexico Gover-nor Bill Richardson mustcontinue to protect the GilaRiver and ensure that statedecisionmakers consider andimplement cheaper, moreeffective, and less damagingwater supply alternatives.

The RiverOriginating in America’s firstwilderness area, New Mex-ico’s Gila Wilderness, the

Gila River is the lifeblood ofits arid landscape. Once oneof the longest desert rivers inthe world at 649 miles, it nowflows freely through NewMexico but is prevented fromreaching the Colorado Riverdue to dams and thirsty urbandevelopment in Arizona. Onits upper reaches, the Gilasustains one of the most intactnative fish communities in theColorado River drainage anddraws anglers to a robustsport fishery. The riverharbors numerous threatenedand endangered species andserves as vital stopover terri-tory for more than 250species of migratory birds.

The Gila River offersmany benefits to the region,including clean water, naturalbeauty, recreation, tourism,educational opportunities, anda wealth of cultural and natu-ral history. A relatively smallamount of the Gila’s water is

used locally for agriculturalirrigation and mining. Bird-watching and other recre-ational activities areincreasingly popular alongthe Gila as healthy south-western rivers that supportstrong wildlife populationsgrow rarer.

The ThreatA new federal subsidy couldpartially offset the high coststhat have protected the upper

THREAT: WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

GILA RIVERAT-A-GLANCERIVER LENGTH: 649 milesLARGEST CITY IN NM SECTIONOF WATERSHED: Reserve(pop. 387)PUBLIC LANDS IN NMSECTION OF WATERSHED:3 million acresDID YOU KNOW? Of NewMexico’s six mainstemrivers, the Gila is the lastwithout a dam or majorwater development.

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The Gi la andGloba l Warming

The dwindling precipi-tation, higher evapo-ration rates andreduced flow frommountain snowpackthat will come withglobal warming couldgreatly reduce waterlevels in the Gila.Diverting water to sur-face reservoirs thatwill lose ever-increas-ing quantities of waterthrough evaporation isparticularly ineffi-cient. Local leadersshould instead look toincreased water effi-ciency and ample,rechargeable ground-water supplies tomeet local needs.As the flows of otherSouthwest riversdecrease, the Gilacould be one of thelast refuges in theregion for many fishand wildlife species.

Gila River from developmentfor decades. The ArizonaWater Settlements Act(AWSA) of 2004 authorizesup to $128 million for imple-mentation of any water proj-ect designed to meet NewMexico’s future water needs.The New Mexico InterstateStream Commission (ISC), agovernmental body withbroad powers to develop NewMexico’s waters, has pro-posed a project that woulddivert up to 14,000 acre-feetof water from the Gila Riverand its tributary, the SanFrancisco River, every year.This project would require adiversion structure and hugepumping station, a power sta-tion, a massive pipelineand/or canal system, and anoff-stream dam and reservoir.The cost is projected at morethan $300 million — farexceeding the $128 millionsubsidy. The additional costwould be shouldered in partby local taxpayers and burdenlocal government with debt.

Implementation of provenwater efficiency measureswould sharply reduce theamount of water needed andwould be more cost-effectivethan the proposed diversion.Estimates show that SilverCity, New Mexico, for exam-ple, can extend its municipalwater supply by 10 yearsthrough reasonable waterconservation measures —just switching to drip irriga-tion would save area farmers30–50 percent of currentwater use. If, at some point,more water is needed, theregion’s future water needscan be met sixteen times morecheaply by developinggroundwater from a regionalaquifer that is rechargedannually by rain and snowfall.

What’s At StakeThe amount of water thatwould be diverted from theGila River would dwarf what

is needed by local industry,agriculture, and domestic useand would have severe ramifi-cations. Subsequent loweringof the local water table couldnegatively impact groundwa-ter wells used by valley resi-dents. The diversion wouldimpair the river’s naturalflows, impeding growth ofstreamside vegetation andthreaten native birds and fish.Additionally, the industrialdevelopment required for thisproject would blemish a pas-toral valley that has remainedlargely unchanged for the pastcentury, threatening real estatevalues and recreational poten-tial. Additional water is notyet needed in this relativelyunpopulated region, andsome fear that once Gilawater is diverted under theguise of meeting local waterneeds the pipeline would beextended to water-guzzlingurban sprawl in Las Cruces,NM or even El Paso, TX,instead.

What Can Be DoneThe ISC has promoted a plan-ning process under the AWSAfocused solely on a Gila diver-sion. Recognizing the threatposed to this preciousresource, Governor Richard-son vetoed funds to developGila River water in 2007 anddirected the ISC to include allstakeholders and analyze thefull range of alternatives avail-able — including a “no-diver-sion” alternative. The ISCmust do as directed by Gover-nor Richardson for the sake ofcommunities who depend on afree-flowing Gila River.

Senators Pete Domenici(R-NM) and Jeff Bingaman(D-NM) have secured fundingfor planning under the AWSA.They should specify that thesefunds be used only to analyzeand develop cost-effective andwater-efficient alternatives tomeet predicted local watersupply needs rather than pro-moting unsustainable futuregrowth elsewhere.

CONTACT INFOEli Weissman, American Rivers, 202-347-7550 ext. 3010,[email protected]

Gila Conservation Coalition Partners:

Allyson Siwik, Gila Resources Information Project,575-538-8078, [email protected] Schulke, Center for Biological Diversity,575-574-5962 [email protected] Salmon, Chair, Gila Conservation Coalition,575-388-3763, [email protected] Gasparich, Upper Gila Watershed Alliance,575-313-2203, [email protected]

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N U M B E R 8A l l a g a s h W i l d e r n e s s Wa t e rwa y MAINE

THREAT: LOSS OF WILD AND SCENIC RIVER PROTECTIONS

SummaryOnce a crown jewel of thenation’s Wild and ScenicRivers System, the uniquecharacter of the AllagashWilderness Waterway innorthern Maine is in jeopardy.State river managers are beingpressured to dilute or stripprotections that safeguard theriver’s recreational, economicand ecological values. In2008, the 40th anniversary ofthe Wild and Scenic RiversAct, the state must strengthen,not weaken, protections forthe Allagash and, by example,help uphold the integrity ofrivers protected under theWild and Scenic Rivers Actnationwide.

The RiverThe Allagash WildernessWaterway is a 92-mile-longribbon of rivers, lakes, andstreams winding through the

heart of the largest intact for-est ecosystem east of the Mis-sissippi. The banks of theAllagash are home to iconicspecies such as the pinemarten, river otter, moose,loon, and the only breedingpopulation of Canada lynx inthe eastern United States. Theclear waters of the Allagashprovide ideal habitat for oneof the largest native coldwaterfisheries remaining in theeastern United States.

For generations the Alla-gash has been a top destina-tion for multi-day wildernesscanoeing trips. A thrivingindustry of outfitters andguides serves visitors fromacross the country who wishto float a river that shows fewsigns of civilization. Thesevery characteristics made theAllagash Wilderness Water-way an obvious early choicefor the National Wild andScenic Rivers System. In

1970, the river became thefirst to be included in thestate-administered componentof the System. The Allagash’s“wild” designation is reservedfor rivers that are generallyaccessible only by trail, andrepresent vestiges of primitiveAmerica.

The ThreatOver time, the state ofMaine has allowed agrowing number ofdrive-up access points,boat launches, and otherintrusions into the Alla-gash Wilderness Water-way despite a mandate

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ALLAGASH RIVERAT-A-GLANCERIVER LENGTH: 92 milesWATERSHED AREA: 1,240square milesLARGEST TOWN IN THEWATERSHED: Allagash, ME(pop. 277)PERCENTAGE OF TREE COVER INWATERSHED: near 100%DID YOU KNOW? TheAllagash WildernessWaterway was the firststate-managed waterwayto be included in thestate-administered compo-nent of the national Wildand Scenic Rivers System.

to manage the area for “maxi-mum wilderness character.”

An America’s MostEndangered RiversTM listing in2002 helped initiate a processto bring the river’s manage-ment plan into compliancewith Wild and Scenic RiversAct guidelines. Correspondingrevisions to the Allagash man-agement plan prepared by theMaine Department of Conser-vation (MDOC) were vettedthrough a stakeholder advisorycouncil and were on track tobe adopted. However, in 2006,pressured by lobbyists formotorsports groups and largelandowners in the region, theMaine Legislature passed abill that halted the process inits tracks. The new statute fun-damentally shifted manage-ment of the AllagashWilderness Waterway bydeclaring temporary structuresand 30 summer and wintervehicle access points to be per-manent features of the land-scape. The law also preventsMDOC from implementingchanges to the Allagash’s man-agement plan unless approvedby the state legislature.

There have been otherattacks on the pristine charac-ter of the waterway. A loggingroad along the Allagash wasillegally bulldozed open in2006. In 2008, the state plansto build a massive new loggingbridge that will degrade thewilderness experience on a47-mile stretch of river. Therehas been no meaningful analy-sis of alternative bridge loca-tions outside the waterway.

What’s At StakeThe Allagash WildernessWaterway has provided inspi-ration to the hundreds of thou-sands who have experiencedits wonder since Henry DavidThoreau visited a century anda half ago. Many visitors hireguide services and buy sup-plies in towns in the regionbefore and after their trips,

boosting local economies.Besides being a recreationparadise and an economicasset, the Allagash providesextraordinary wildlife habitatand connects importantecosystems in Maine’s NorthWoods region.

Upon request from thestate of Maine, the AllagashWilderness Waterway wasincluded in the Wild and Sce-nic Rivers System to protect itfor the benefit of present andfuture generations. Continuederosion of its wilderness char-acter could harm the localrecreation economy andirreparably corrupt one of ournation's most pristine waterresources. This would be par-ticularly troubling as thenation marks the 40th anniver-sary of the Act this year. Ifpermitted in Maine, specialinterests in other states mightview this as an invitation toreduce protections for theirstate-managed Wild and Sce-nic Rivers.

What Must Be DoneThis is a critical year for theAllagash. The newly createdAdvisory Council expects tocomplete a strategic plan forthe river by Fall 2008. TheCouncil must encourage thestate legislature to affirm theoriginal mandate to enhancethe “maximum wildernesscharacter” of the Allagash.The plan should restrictmotor access, reduce loggingroads and bridges, preservethe native fishery, and desig-nate areas for non-motorizedwinter recreation. Anti-wilderness interests willlikely continue to pressMaine’s governor and legisla-ture, the state’s congressionaldelegation, and the U.S.Department of the Interior todowngrade protections forthe Allagash. These partiesmust reject all efforts toreduce protections for Amer-ica’s premier state-managed,federally-designated Wildand Scenic River.

CONTACT INFOJamie Mierau, American Rivers, 202-347-7550 ext. 3003,

[email protected]

Jym St. Pierre, RESTORE: The North Woods, 207-626-5635,

[email protected]

The Al lagash andGloba l WarmingAllowing increaseddevelopment alongthe Allagash wouldfragment this wildand self-sustainingecosystem and reducethe watershed’s abil-ity to adjust to globalwarming. Tree cover isvital for controllingand absorbing stormrunoff and providingshade that cools thewater, protectinghabitat for fish andwildlife. The Allagashcontains some of thebest remaining nativebrook trout fisheriesin the Northeast andwill provide a valu-able reserve for thesecold water fish as ris-ing temperaturesstress populations inmore developed areas.

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N U M B E R 9

Pe a r l R i ve r MISSISSIPPI , LOUISIANA

THREAT: IRRESPONSIBLE FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT

SummaryThe Pearl River is a recre-ation oasis for nearby com-munities, an important sourceof drinking water, and anessential refuge for fish andwildlife. But developers wantto dam and dredge the riverto create artificial lakes andislands for private develop-ment at a staggering cost totaxpayers. This boondogglewould destroy vital flood-plain wetlands, causeirreparable harm to the PearlRiver, and actually place peo-ple in the path of potentialfloods. The U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers and local gov-ernments need to reject thisproposal for private profit attaxpayer expense and insteadchampion a comprehensiveplan to protect and restorethe Pearl River and its naturalflood protection attributes.

The RiverRolling through river townssuch as Jackson, Columbia,and Pearlington, MS andBogalusa, LA, the Pearl Riverextends 490 miles from cen-tral Mississippi to the Gulf ofMexico, forming a piece ofthe Louisiana-Mississippi bor-der. The river basin is home toa host of federally-listedthreatened and endangeredspecies including the Gulfsturgeon, Louisiana blackbear, and ringed map turtle,and provides critical stopoverhabitat for migratory birds.

The Pearl River isextremely popular withcanoeists, picnickers, fisher-men and campers throughoutthe basin, and provides drink-ing water for many of Jack-son’s 185,000 residents.Forested wetlands sustainedby the Pearl provide importantservices to the city, includingnatural flood protection and

an estimated $6.8 million inrain and stormwater treat-ment services.

Of national signifi-cance, freshwater from thePearl is essential for sup-porting oyster, shrimp andfish populations in LakeBorgne and the Mississippi

Sound. The Pearl’swaters also are vital forsustaining wetlands inthe Gulf of Mexico,which provide hurricaneand storm surge protec-tion to coastal commu-nities.

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PEARL RIVERAT-A-GLANCERIVER LENGTH: 490 milesWATERSHED AREA: 8,760square milesLARGEST CITY IN THEWATERSHED: Jackson, MS(pop. 185,000)PERCENTAGE OF TREE COVER INWATERSHED: 69%

DID YOU KNOW? The Pearlprovides $6.8 million instormwater treatmentservices to the city ofJackson.


The Pear l andGloba l WarmingPromoting develop-ment in the floodplainand destroying thenatural flood protec-tion benefits of wet-lands has been arecipe for disaster forgenerations, but isparticularly unwise asthe climate crisisbrings even moresevere storms. Damsand levees can —and do — fail, andwhen they do theimpacts can be cata-strophic. Healthyrivers and wetlandsbuffer communitiesfrom drought andfloods cheaply andmore reliably thanonly dams and levees.Local leaders shouldprotect healthy water-sheds and boost thelocal economy by pro-moting recreation innatural areas alongthe Pearl River.

The ThreatA group of developers pro-pose to dam and dredge thePearl River in the Jacksonarea to create one or two lakesand construct as many as 25islands for private commercialdevelopment. A number ofvariations on this plan also arebeing considered, including aproposal supported by thelocal levee board that involvesconstruction of levees onlyalong the Pearl. These proj-ects, ranging in cost from$200 million to $1 billion, arebeing promoted as providingflood protection with theadded benefit of developmentpotential. In reality theywould increase flood damagesby placing development inlow-lying areas and possiblythe loss of wetlands, whichprovide natural flood protec-tion. The artificial lakes cre-ated by these projects wouldalso form a shallow, murkytrap for litter, sewage fromleaking lines, sediment andpolluted runoff contaminatedby oil and other chemicalsfrom parking lots and streets.This will make the artificiallakes vulnerable to stagnationand summer algal blooms.Through the 2007 passage ofthe federal Water ResourcesDevelopment Act, Congressgave the Corps the authorityto spend $205 million of tax-payers’ money to build thisill-conceived project. How-ever, the Corps and local lead-ers can still put a stop to thisdestructive and costly pro-posal.

What’s At StakeThis combination of dams,dredging, and developmentwould have devastatingimpacts both locally anddownstream. According topreliminary estimates, theproject would dredge, fill orpermanently flood almost5,500 acres of federally desig-nated wetlands and more than

3,400 acres of bottomlandhardwood forests along thePearl River. This would causesignificant harm to the fishand wildlife they support,including a number of threat-ened and endangered species.The project could impairwater quality in downstreamcommunities throughincreased sedimentation andchemical runoff from devel-oped areas and increase flood-ing along the Pearl and itstributaries. Loss of bottom-land forest cover and newdevelopment would increasenoise and air pollution andlikely increase temperatures.The artificial lakes wouldinundate much of LeFleur’sBluff State Park and the trailsystem of the MississippiMuseum of Natural Science,which are enjoyed by morethan 300,000 people eachyear.

Critical adverse impactssuch as increased floodingand water pollution also couldbe felt as far downstream asColumbia, Mississippi. Thisproposal could affect the deli-cate salinity balance in Lake

Borgne and the MississippiSound that is essential for theoysters, shrimp and fish liv-ing in the estuary, and for theeconomies of the coastalcommunities that depend onthese resources. Freshwaterfrom the Pearl is importantfor the survival of coastalwetlands, the best naturaldefense against storm surges.

What Can Be DoneDespite Congressionalauthorization of an articiallakes project, the Corps isnot required to construct it.The Corps and local leveeboard should reject this mis-guided project and insteadconduct a comprehensivewatershed analysis thataddresses all needs in thePearl River basin, includingecological restoration andwater quality improvement.In evaluating any neededapproaches to reducing flooddamages, this study shouldrely heavily on the use ofnonstructural approaches thatwill both protect communi-ties and improve the health ofthe Pearl River.

CONTACT INFOMelissa Samet, American Rivers, 415-482-8150,[email protected] Shropshire, Mississippi Wildlife Federation,601-206-5703, [email protected] Powell, Gulf Restoration Network, 504-525-1528,ext. 204, [email protected] Pullen, 601-372-9133

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AM E R I C A ’ S M O S T E N DA N G E R E D R I V E R S™ : 2008 E D I T I O N | N I O B R A R A R I V E R WWW. AM E R I C A N R I V E R S . O R G

N U M B E R 10N i o b ra ra R i ve r WYOMING, NEBRASKA

THREAT: UNSUSTAINABLE IRRIGATION DIVERSIONS

SummaryThe Niobrara River is one ofonly two Wild and ScenicRivers in Nebraska and is aregional and national treas-ure for its fish and wildlife,recreation opportunities, andtourism. But excessive irri-gation diversions, largely aresult of rising corn pricesfor ethanol production, areshrinking its flows andthreatening these values.Water managers must act toprevent excessive with-drawals to protect the river’shealth and the many qualityof life benefits it providesto human and natural com-munities.

The RiverNebraska’s longest river, theNiobrara flows 535 milesbefore emptying into theMissouri River near the townof Niobrara. A number ofthreatened and endangered

species depend on the Nio-brara, including the pipingplover, least tern, and whoop-ing crane. The river sustainswildlife refuges and stateparks and in 1988 was namedone of America’s “10 best pad-dling rivers” by Outside Maga-zine. A 76-mile stretch of theNiobrara is designated as aNational Wild and ScenicRiver, and today more than65,000 people visit the river tofloat or explore this reachannually. In addition to theriver’s tourism and recreationbenefits, thousands ofNebraskans obtain water forhousehold use from under-ground wells near the Niobraraand its tributaries, and theriver provides irrigation andpower generation to the region.

The ThreatWater diversions to supportcrop production in the Nio-brara River region’s sandy soil

have increased dramaticallyin the past decade, partiallydue to the rapidly growingdemand for corn to makeethanol. In just the first sixmonths of 2007, irrigatorsapplied for more than fivetimes the amount of waterthan had been granted duringthe entire decade between1980 and 1990. While irriga-tion demands have increased,surface water levels havedecreased. For the past fiveyears, the river’s flow rate hasbeen below average, and the

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NIOBRARA RIVERAT-A-GLANCERIVER LENGTH: 535 milesWATERSHED AREA: 15,195square milesLARGEST CITY IN THEWATERSHED: Valentine, NE(pop. 2,820)NUMBER OF IRRIGATEDACRES IN WATERSHED: morethan 600,000DID YOU KNOW? TheNiobrara River is one ofonly two National Wildand Scenic Rivers inNebraska.


The Niobrara andGloba l WarmingWithdrawing waterfrom the Niobrara toproduce corn ethanolwill do more harmthan good. Cornethanol production isan inefficient use ofenergy as well aswater, and can releaseeven higher levels ofgreenhouse gassesinto the atmospherethan gasoline due toheavy use of fertiliz-ers. Increasing waterwithdrawals also com-pound the negativeimpacts of globalwarming which willreduce water levels inthe Niobrara throughevaporation. Waterplanners should beexploring ways toreturn water to theriver and protect theunique recreation ben-efits and wildlifehabitat it provides tothe region.

2006 level was the fifth low-est since 1950. Kayakers andcanoeists today notice moreexposed sandbars and rockledges that make it hard tofloat this already naturallyshallow river. As more of theriver is appropriated by irri-gators, the Niobrara’s eco-nomic and recreationalvalues are threatened.

The Ogallala Aquifer, theunderground water table thatsustains the Niobrara River isdeclining in areas where ratesof groundwater pumpinghave far exceeded rates ofreplenishment. Recentreports warn that water with-drawals for growing corn andprocessing it to make ethanolfuel will put unsustainablepressure on the aquifer. Ris-ing prices are driving anexplosion in ethanol produc-tion. New corn ethanol plantsplanned and currently underconstruction in this regionwill increase ethanol produc-tion capacity by 900 percent.Taking more and more waterfrom a finite source withlittle analysis of the sustain-ability of such actions justdoesn’t make sense in thisarid portion of Nebraska.This strategy is already start-ing to damage the much-loved Niobrara and maydeprive communities of allthe benefits of a healthy riverin the long run.

A public power companyoperating a dam near themouth of the Niobrara hasexercised its senior waterright, meaning no new watercan be taken from the river –for now. Nonetheless, a morepermanent solution is neces-sary to protect this preciousresource. The NebraskaGame and Parks Commission(NGPC) is researching thefeasibility of securing aninstream flow water right forthe Wild and Scenic reach.While this water right wouldprotect a minimum flow in

only this particular reach itwould, in effect, help to pro-tect hundreds of river milesupstream of the Wild andScenic River area. Aninstream water right wouldsafeguard the river’s healthby preventing excessivewater from being pumped outof a long stretch of river.

What’s At StakeAs the water table drops,wells supplying water fordomestic use are threatened.Current irrigation and powergeneration requires a flowingNiobrara River to support theeconomies of small areatowns. Threatened andendangered species, and stateparks and wildlife refuges,all depend on the Niobraraand particularly the protectedsection of the river. Recre-ation is vital to local commu-nities and its value isgrowing. The loss of recre-ation and tourism to the riverand its lush environs wouldbe a damaging blow. In 2008,the 40th anniversary of theWild and Scenic Rivers Act,we should celebrate the Nio-brara and commit ourselvesto protecting this integral partof Nebraska’s and the

nation’s natural and culturalheritage.

What Can Be DoneNGPC must submit the appli-cation for an instream flowwater right to the NebraskaDepartment of NaturalResources (NDNR). TheNDNR, in turn, must grantan instream flow water rightthat allows current irrigatorstheir share, but preventsnever-ending applications forprecious water.

The temporary halt onnew surface and groundwater use in the area, trig-gered the creation of an Inte-grated Management Plan forthe Niobrara basin. Officialsfrom the NDNR and the fiveNatural Resource Districtswith authority in the Nio-brara River basin must ensurethat this plan balances preser-vation of the river’s ecologi-cal quality with irrigationand other water use needs.These agencies have anopportunity and a responsi-bility to ensure that waterappropriations don’t drainthe river dry, causing theNiobrara, and the assetsit provides, to disappearforever.

CONTACT INFOGary Belan, American Rivers, 202-347-7550 ext. 3027,[email protected] Kennedy, Nebraska Wildlife Federation,402-796-2114, [email protected] Thornton, Friends of the Niobrara, 402-477-7597,[email protected]

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PENNSYLVANIA FIELD OFFICE355 N. 21st Street, Suite 309

Camp Hill, PA 17011

PHONE: 717-763-0741

[email protected]

OHIO FIELD OFFICE348 S. Erie Street

Toledo, OH 43604

PHONE: 419-936-3759

[email protected]

MASSACHUSETTS FIELD OFFICE37 Phillips Place, #2

Northampton, MA 01060

PHONE: 413-585-5896

[email protected]

NEW YORK FIELD OFFICE1 Danker Avenue

Albany, NY 12206

PHONE: 518-482-2631

[email protected]

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL OFFICE

COLUMBIA

2231 Devine Street, Suite 202

Columbia, SC 29205

PHONE: 803-771-7114

[email protected]

DURHAM

1006 Lancaster Street

Durham, NC 27701

PHONE: 919-286-2469

[email protected]

ATLANTA

501 Dancing Fox Road

Decatur, GA 30032

PHONE: 404-373-3602

[email protected]

NORTHEAST FIELD OFFICE20 Bayberry Road

Glastonbury, CT 06033

PHONE: 860-652-9911

[email protected]

1101 14th Street, NW, Suite 1400

Washington, DC 20005

PHONE: 202-347-7550

FAX: 202-347-9240

EMAIL: [email protected]

WWW.AMERICANRIVERS.ORG

NORTHWEST REGIONAL OFFICE

SEATTLE

4005 20th Avenue West, Suite 221

Seattle, WA 98199

PHONE: 206-213-0330

[email protected]

PORTLAND

320 SW Stark Street, Suite 412

Portland, OR 97204

PHONE: 503-827-8648

[email protected]

CALIFORNIA FIELD OFFICES

WATER RESOURCESPROGRAMS

6 School Street, Suite 230

Fairfax, CA 94930

PHONE: 415-482-8150

[email protected]

DAM AND HYDROPOWERPROGRAMS

409 Spring Street, Suite E

Nevada City, CA 95959

PHONE: 530-478-5672

[email protected]

CO-AUTHORS: Heather Hamilton, Amy Kober, Will HewesEDITOR: Lindsay MartinMAPS: Kathryn SwartzREPORT DESIGN: Gallagher/Wood DesignCOVER PHOTOS: TOP: WSDOT BOTTOM: Olaf Gradin/Flickr.comPRINTING: Lake Lithograph, Manassas, VA, FSC certified printer

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