Protecting Rivers & Your Clean Water
The Colorado is America’s Most Endangered River
Jessie Thomas-Blate, Coordinator, Most Endangered Rivers
April 17, 2013 | Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
Mark Twain once said, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.” His words ring true today about another river, the Colorado, that many call the lifeblood of the West. In some places the Colorado River is drained dry, in others its flows are so depleted and manipulated that fish and wildlife are federally listed as “endangered,” and in yet others more dam/diversion/pipeline projects are proposed that would drain the last legally allowed drops of water out of the river.
Read more »Announcing America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2013
Amy Souers Kober, Senior Director of Communications
April 17, 2013 | Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
For thirty years, our America’s Most Endangered Rivers report has highlighted urgent threats to rivers and has spurred the public to take action. Through the report, we have helped sound the alarm on hundreds of rivers, saving them from threats like pollution and new dams.
The river at the top of the 2013 list, announced today, is the Colorado River – a river that is so dammed, diverted, and drained that it dries to a trickle before reaching the sea.
Read more »Preserving our Fish, Wildlife and Plants in an Uncertain Future
Fay Augustyn, Intermountain West Blue Trails Manager
April 16, 2013 | Climate Change, Dams & Dam Removal
Since I was a baby, I have spent summers in Colorado. Memories of playing in the rivers and hiking the mountain trails are some of my fondest. I continue to believe there is nothing more liberating than escaping the everyday grind of the city and heading into the great outdoors. However, over the course of the last few years we have seen an increasing number of extreme weather events that are impacting our valuable natural resources. Unfortunately, these impacts are expected to increase with our rapidly changing climate, putting our cherished resources at risk.
Read more »Preparing Utilities for a Changing Climate
Fay Augustyn, Intermountain West Blue Trails Manager
April 15, 2013 | Climate Change, Stormwater & Sewage, Water Supply, Urban Rivers
In the last two years, we have seen a record number of extreme weather events including floods, heat waves, droughts, fires and snowstorms. In 2011, 14 different extreme weather events resulted in damages of more than $1 billion each. That trend has shown no signs of abating.
Read more »Water Management Could Become Game of Hardball
Matt Niemerski, Director, Western Water Policy
April 12, 2013 | Climate Change, Water Supply
As drought continues to loom over much of the Colorado River Basin reservoir capacities are at critically low levels. With the upcoming year not looking at all well for water users in the basin, the questions will turn very quickly to how we will manage this resource through a crisis.
Read more »Maintenance: It’s Not Just for Your Car
Stacey Detwiler, Associate, Conservation & Government Relations
April 11, 2013 | Climate Change, Stormwater & Sewage, Urban Rivers, Water Pollution
Many of us are familiar with maintenance in some form. Whether it’s getting an oil change for the car or unclogging the sink, if we don’t get around to it, we usually end up paying in the long run.
Maintenance for infrastructure that manages stormwater runoff works in much the same manner, albeit at a larger scale. Without consistent maintenance, these practices can fail forcing expensive repairs and posing significant health and safety risks.
Taking Control: Managing Your Stormwater Runoff Contribution
Jacob Dyste, River Restoration and Assessment Assistant, AmeriCorps Member
March 18, 2013 | Stormwater & Sewage, Water Supply, Climate Change
The challenges facing our rivers today are daunting; and frequently the solutions are equally so. Dam removal, floodplain restoration, and political maneuvering to protect wild and scenic rivers are not solutions that an everyday river enthusiast can relate to. Even as a professional in river conservation, the road forward sometimes feels overwhelming. I frequently find this frustrating – what needs to be done seems so obvious, yet so out of my control. Recently I’ve been working on a project that gives me the feeling that I can be in control of the difference that is made to the health of our rivers.
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