Protecting Rivers & Your Clean Water
American Rivers Opposes Raising Shasta Dam
Steve Rothert, California Regional Director
February 7, 2013 | Dams & Dam Removal, Wild and Scenic Rivers
The Bureau of Reclamation has studied the feasibility of raising its 602 ft high Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River to increase the dam’s storage capacity. For several reasons including the two we outline here, American Rivers opposes the raising of Shasta Dam as proposed.
Read more »Governor Inslee Proclaims Strong Support For The Yakima Integrated Plan
Michael Garrity, Washington State Conservation Director
February 1, 2013 | Dams & Dam Removal, Floods & Floodplains, Wild and Scenic Rivers, Water Supply
Last Thursday, new Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee appeared before a photo of the Yakima River at his weekly press conference to announce his first legislative action: Introducing a bill to the state legislature (HB 1414) calling for state funding and implementation of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan in order to restore salmon, protect key headwaters habitat, and better manage water in the Yakima River Basin.
Read more »Communities Evaluate Wild and Scenic as Tool to Protect the Crystal River
Matt Rice, Director, Colorado Conservation
January 10, 2013 | Wild and Scenic Rivers, Most Endangered Rivers
A couple of months ago communities along the Crystal River in Colorado gathered in Redstone, CO and Carbondale, CO to discuss the appropriateness of a Wild Scenic Designation to protect the river from new dam and trans-basin diversion projects. Four panelists with experience working to designate Wild and Scenic Rivers in Colorado and throughout the country spoke about various aspects of the law, challenges faced in designation, and recreational, ecological, economic benefits of designation.
Read more »What is the National Blueways Initiative?
Jamie Mierau, Director, River Protection
January 9, 2013 | Blue Trails, Urban Rivers, Wild and Scenic Rivers
In May of 2012, Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar announced the new National Blueways System, a key element of America’s Great Outdoors, and designated the Connecticut River Watershed – covering areas of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut – as the nation’s first blueway.
Read more »It's official - You saved the Hoback!
Scott Bosse, Director, Northern Rockies
January 2, 2013 | Fracking, Most Endangered Rivers, Wild and Scenic Rivers
Three months ago, we announced a tentative deal to spare western Wyoming’s Hoback River from industrial scale gas drilling – if we could raise $8.75 million to buy out a Texas energy company’s oil and gas leases by the end of the year.
Read more »Oil and Gas Development Banned In Skeena River’s Sacred Headwaters
David Moryc, Senior Director, River Protection
December 19, 2012 | Wild and Scenic Rivers
In a huge victory for our partners to the north, oil and gas development in the headwaters of the pristine Skeena River in northwestern British Columbia has been permanently banned by the regional government.
Read more »Battles Continue on the St. Croix River
Jessie Thomas-Blate, Coordinator, Most Endangered Rivers
November 14, 2012 | Most Endangered Rivers, Wild and Scenic Rivers
Supporters of the Wild and Scenic St. Croix River in Minnesota are fighting another battle— this time against a gravel mine. A corporation is proposing to operate a gravel mine on the site of a dormant, unreclaimed gravel mine (known as the Zavoral Site). It is located along St. Croix Trail North, a State Scenic Byway.
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