American Rivers opens Colorado office to protect and restore state’s rivers

February 7, 2011

(Denver) – American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization, today announced it is opening a new office in Denver to protect and restore the state’s rivers and the many benefits they provide to people and wildlife. 

“From the Arkansas to the Platte to the Colorado, our state is blessed with world-class rivers,” said Matt Rice, director of Colorado conservation for American Rivers. “We look forward to working with our partners to protect and restore this unique river heritage for future generations.”

Colorado’s rivers are essential to supporting clean drinking water, fish and wildlife, recreation, business, and quality of life. But poorly operated dams and other threats pose serious risks to river health. American Rivers will focus its efforts on protecting and restoring rivers threatened by hydroelectric dams.  This includes intervention in hydropower licensing proceedings, efforts to modify the operation of Bureau of Reclamation dams, and designation of Wild and Scenic Rivers, particularly within the Colorado River Basin. 

American Rivers has a long history of working on river conservation issues in Colorado. The organization was founded 38 years ago at a meeting of river advocates in Denver. The Animas, Gunnison, and Fraser rivers have all appeared in the annual report, America’s Most Endangered RiversTM. Most recently, American Rivers named the Upper Colorado River among America’s Most Endangered RiversTM of 2010 because of the threat posed by water diversions.

“This is a critical moment for rivers in Colorado,” said Rice. “We are facing unprecedented challenges with climate change, harmful dams, and other threats. But rivers are remarkably resilient. If we give them a little help, our rivers will enrich our lives for years to come.”

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American Rivers is the leading organization working to protect and restore the nation’s rivers and streams. Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Since 1973, American Rivers has fought to preserve these connections, helping protect and restore more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and the annual release of America’s Most Endangered Rivers®.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 100,000 supporters, members, and volunteers nationwide. Visit www.americanrivers.org, www.facebook.com/americanrivers and www.twitter.com/americanrivers.