Big Wins for Rivers: A Summary of 2010 Successes

December 9, 2010 | Clean Water, Dams & Dam Removal, Greening Water Infrastructure, Most Endangered Rivers, National River Cleanup, Protecting Rivers, Restoring Rivers

Amy Souers Kober
Senior Director of Communications

2010 was a banner year for American Rivers. We made great strides for healthy rivers across the country, and we achieved important successes for communities big and small. Most Americans live within a mile of a river, and rivers run through every facet of our lives. They are critical to our health and well-being.

In 2010, our efforts to protect and restore rivers scored victories for:

The clean water we drink
According to Gallup, Americans place the safety of drinking water above all other environmental concerns. Rivers supply the drinking water for most Americans. In 2010, we raised the alarm about natural gas drilling in the Upper Delaware watershed -- the drinking water supply for  millions in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. And years of work paid off when we got South Carolina to enact legislation that will help ensure reliable clean water supplies for the state’s communities while protecting the health of its rivers.

The wild places we love
Through our annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers™ report we shined a national spotlight on urgent threats to rivers like the Upper Colorado, Chetco and Gauley. Extensive media coverage and a public call to action highlighted the need to protect these special places.

The buildings where we live and work
We spurred decision makers nationwide to adopt 21st century green infrastructure solutions, and we demonstrated the many benefits of putting nature to work. In Milwaukee we partnered with the city to channel $3.7 million toward the creation of “green roofs” – rooftops planted with vegetation that reduce stormwater runoff pollution.

The fish we catch
Dams block migrating fish and impact the entire web of life. In 2010, American Rivers facilitated the removal of 60 dams from coast to coast. By breaking down these barriers we restored river health and revitalized native fish and wildlife from the Hoosic River in Massachusetts to the Patapsco River in Maryland to the Hood River in Oregon. We also made significant progress toward major dam removal efforts on the Klamath River and Penobscot River.

The trash we toss
Through our National River Cleanup™ program, 47,000 volunteers removed more than 875,000 pounds of trash along 4,821 miles of river.

The places we paddle
We demonstrated the many health, economic, recreation, and environmental benefits of blueways (also known as blue trails or water trails) and urged the Obama Administration to make blueways a priority of its America’s Great Outdoors initiative. Blueways connect communities to rivers, promote recreation, and safeguard clean water and riverside land.

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