River Restoration Tools and Resources

A healthy river can increase property values, boost recreational opportunities, attract tourists, reduce water pollution, and protect people and property from flooding. But dams, levees and other man-made structures disrupt the natural functions of rivers, leaving many of them fragmented and cut off from their communities. To ensure safer and healthier communities, American Rivers is championing sustainable approaches to river management that restore natural river functions, floodplains and wetlands. 

This digital guide contains a series of resources designed to empower federal and state agency staff, engineering design firms and other consultants, and nonprofit organizations (collectively, river restoration practitioners) with the tools, skills, and understanding necessary to restore damaged rivers. Explore our series of videos, fact sheets, and reports to learn more about removing dams, replacing culverts and restoring floodplains.