That morning, the Teton Dam catastrophically failed during its initial filling, unleashing a wall of water that devastated downstream communities and changed lives in an instant. But another loss often receives less attention: before the failure, the dam’s reservoir had inundated the Teton Canyon, flooding one of the Northern Rockies’ special river landscapes.

The Teton Canyon is more than a footnote on dam failures and lost rivers. In the 50 years since the dam failed, both the canyon and the river have had an opportunity to recover. Today, the Teton once again carries cool, clear water through one of the Northern Rockies’ remarkable deep canyons. The canyon is again an important place for the protection and restoration of Yellowstone cutthroat trout, a species central to the region’s ecology and angling heritage. Anglers, hunters, boaters, and families again value this place. The canyon and river are part of eastern Idaho’s identity, and today the Teton remains eastern Idaho’s only major river without a large dam and reservoir system altering its character.

After the failure, the Teton River received something precious: a second chance.

Across the country, communities are proving that rivers can recover when people invest in restoration, remove outdated infrastructure, and work together to reconnect and repair damaged waterways. However, opportunities to reverse major damage do not come easily, and meaningful recovery takes time, commitment, and partnership.

Over the last several decades, people throughout the region have invested in restoring and improving the Teton River system, and it shows. In the Teton Valley upstream, conservationists, farmers, and communities have worked together to find practical solutions that support agriculture while protecting and restoring river health.

Those partnerships — including Friends of the Teton River and Trout Unlimited’s Idaho chapter — matter because water challenges in the West are real. Communities need reliable water supplies. Farmers need certainty. Rivers need enough water to sustain fisheries, wildlife, and recreation economies. Too often, those needs are framed as incompatible; the work done in the Teton Valley has shown another path.

As Scott Bosse, the Director of American Rivers’ Northern Rockies Region, says in the film Second Chance:

“What is happening in the Teton River Valley, where conservationists and farmers and irrigators are coming together with innovative solutions to meet each other’s needs without building big dams in a way that satisfies all of them, while not just protecting the river but restoring it. It’s a unique culture that’s been built, especially on the upper Teton, and I’d like to see it replicated all over the West.”

This lesson matters today because some downstream interests are again promoting rebuilding the Teton Dam.

Rebuilding the dam would not simply create a reservoir, it would once again flood the Teton Canyon and place at risk a river system that communities have spent decades improving. It would ignore the progress already being made through collaboration and innovative approaches that recognize healthy rivers and healthy communities can succeed together.

Read the Fact Sheet

As Scott says later in the film: “That river almost died in 1976. It’s had a resurrection. You don’t get many second chances in life, and you’ve got to seize them when you do.”

The Teton River got a second chance. Let’s not squander it.

Visit the Fishcamp Collab for Conservation and watch the short film Second Chance and enter to win amazing raffle items! 

The post The Teton River Got a Second Chance. Let’s Not Squander It. appeared first on .

In a small village in the Catskill Mountains, the century-old Lake Jefferson Dam still stands, crumbling.

This seemingly innocuous dam has the potential to cause a fatal flood if it fails. Its spillway, completed in 1926, is no longer large enough to safely pass the floods the region is facing as storms grow more intense. It has already been damaged in past floods. Today the owners, whose home sits just below the dam, are working with partners to remove the obsolete structure before it catastrophically collapses.

Built on the pristine East Branch of Callicoon Creek in the Upper Delaware River Basin, the decaying dam also blocks important habitat for fish and other species. Decades of sediment have built up, leaving the dam’s impoundment only a few feet deep. The spillway is scarred from past floods and chunks of concrete are missing, exposing the core of the structure.

The Lake Jefferson Dam was built for recreation and later repurposed as a micro-hydropower project in the 1980s. Now it sits unused and in disrepair, waiting to be safely removed. It provides no flood control and in fact poses a serious hazard for flooding. If it were to fail, it could send a wall of water downstream, threatening nearly a hundred homes.

This dam is not unique.

Across the country, dams are failing, or on the verge of failing, more than ever. Over the past twenty years, the number of dam failures or emergency incidents has risen from an average of three per year to more than 70.

We are facing an infrastructure crisis hidden in plain sight.

Rising dam safety emergencies

Dam safety challenges are being driven by two major forces: aging infrastructure and increasingly severe storms.

While age alone does not make a dam unsafe, older dams require more maintenance and upgrades to remain secure. At the same time, more intense storms are producing floods that many dams were never designed to withstand, making failures more likely. In addition, development has often expanded downstream of dams, putting more people at risk should dams fail.

Bringing dams up to modern dam safety standards is expensive. For owners of uneconomic dams or obsolete dams, it is often a nonstarter. As a result, many dams are poorly maintained and, in some instances, abandoned altogether.

State dam safety offices are responsible for regulating more than seventy percent of the dams that are in the U.S. National Inventory of Dams. Yet many offices lack the staff and resources needed to oversee their vast inventory of dams. As a result, dam safety offices are forced to prioritize their oversight, leaving thousands of dams unchecked. Even when safety upgrades are identified, dam owners often lack the resources or will to implement them.

Dam safety offices need greater funding and capacity not only to monitor existing dams, but also to support the removal of those that are obsolete and unsafe.

Unregulated killers

Some dams pose a danger not just if they fail, but simply by existing.

Low head dams, typically less than 15 feet tall, are designed to allow water to continuously flow over the crest of the dam. This design can create a powerful recirculating current at the base of the dam, a hydraulic that can trap and hold swimmers, paddlers, and even rescuers underwater.

These structures are often referred to as “drowning machines,” and have been linked to at least 780 deaths in the U.S.

Most low head dams fall outside of state dam safety jurisdiction. While some states require warning signs, enforcement is often limited by gaps in authority and resources. As a result, known lethal hazards can remain in place for decades, long after they have outlived any useful purpose.

Maintain them or drain them

Selective removal of dams, particularly those that have become obsolete or unsafe, is an increasingly practical and cost-effective solution.

Dam removal eliminates long-term liability for dam owners while also improving river health, making it an economical and effective solution to costly repairs and upgrades. More than 2,300 dams have been removed around the country, most within the past two decades, and dam removal is now widely recognized as part of the natural lifecycle of infrastructure.

Dam safety professionals are increasingly embracing this approach. Federal and state guidance, along with technical resources, now help dam owners evaluate when removal makes more sense than repair. As well-known dam safety engineer Charles Karpowicz often puts it, “Maintain ‘Em or Drain ‘Em.”

Beyond eliminating safety risks, dam removal can also strengthen climate resilience. Research from Utah State University found that removing aging and obsolete barriers helps rivers regain their natural function, allowing them to better adjust to and recover from extreme weather events.

In other words, strategically removing dams doesn’t just reduce risk, it helps prevent future disasters.

Back in New York

Each spring, ice melts off Lake Jefferson, revealing the aging dam beneath it.

This spring, engineers have been collecting data and finalizing plans to remove the structure and restore the East Branch of Callicoon Creek. The work takes time, but the goal is simple: eliminate a known hazard before it becomes a catastrophe.

The dam owners, community members, and dam safety officials are all working toward the same outcome: a future where this stretch of river flows freely again and where the community downstream can breathe a little easier, knowing one more dangerous dam is no longer a risk.

May 31 is National Dam Safety Awareness Day. Find out what dams are at risk near your community and push for repairs, upgrades, or removal.

The post Maintain Them or Drain Them: Rethinking Dam Safety in America appeared first on .

When the San Joaquin ran dry 

The modern San Joaquin reflects decades of intensive flow regulation and water diversion. Completed in 1942, Friant Dam, located on the upper San Joaquin River near Fresno, California, was built to store water for irrigation and provide flood control. The dam helped set in motion a long period in which large sections of the upper San Joaquin ran dry as water was diverted into canals.  

The San Joaquin feeds into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a key migration corridor and rearing environment for Central Valley salmon. With a dry riverbed and no small inlets or marshy wetlands where they can spawn and rear, spring-run Chinook salmon and steelhead disappeared from the mainstem river for decades.  

Friant Dam is a defining chapter, but the broader Central Valley pattern is bigger than a single structure. Across the Central Valley, levees and engineered channels pinned rivers into place, cutting them off from the floodplains that once spread across the valley floor each winter and spring. The result was a loss of productive food webs and sheltered rearing areas for young fish. 

Why floodplains make for healthier fish  

Some of the best fish habitat on the San Joaquin is not in the river channel itself. In wet years, the shallow edges of the valley floor — the same landscapes we now think of as grasslands and fields — are where young salmon are able to find food and room to grow. 

Healthy floodplains are extremely special for salmon and steelhead because of the food availability and the time they provide for young fish to mature. When water spreads out over shallow floodplain surfaces, it warms faster than the main channel as sunlight penetrates the surface, letting aquatic bugs, microbes, zooplankton, and algae flourish. That burst of new food helps young fish put on size fast at exactly the life stage when growth is the difference between making it to the ocean and being lost along the way.   

Decades of Central Valley research show the same pattern. Juvenile Chinook that access floodplain habitat grow faster and survive better than fish confined to the main channel. This is largely because floodplains produce far more food. More recent work on managed floodplains, including seasonally flooded agricultural fields, has confirmed that floodplain access can drive some of the fastest juvenile growth rates recorded in the region. No two years look the same on a working river, but many different studies come back with the same result: Floodplain access gives young fish a real survival advantage. 

That’s why floodplain reconnection is treated as core salmon and steelhead recovery logic in California. In the San Joaquin system, restoration planning recognizes that floodplains and the food they produce can shape how fast juvenile Chinook grow and how well they survive. Program scientists are directly asking how floodplain productivity predicts juvenile Chinook biomass and growth, and how that information can be used to guide adaptive management on the river. 

The restoration fix anglers should care about 

If the benefits floodplains provide for fish are repeatedly backed by science, the question becomes: Where and how can floodplains be restored?  

This is where American Rivers comes in. Working in partnership with agencies, as well as local communities and organizations throughout the Central Valley, we advance projects that reconnect rivers to their floodplains — not just to restore the functional habitat of native fish and wildlife, but also to improve water quality and lower flood risk in nearby communities. 

This includes giving rivers room to spread out during high flows. It also means helping to align the reconnection of San Joaquin’s floodplain with long-term recovery for salmon, steelhead, and other species. 

State and federal restoration plans in the San Joaquin frame floodplain reconnection as a way to create shallow and productive rearing habitat for juvenile Chinook and other floodplain-dependent species like Sacramento splittail — a native feeder fish. This includes projects at the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge that manage how floodwater moves onto and off of restored floodplain habitat.  

The river and the surrounding valley floor historically functioned as a connected system, where seasonal flooding shaped both aquatic habitat and the grasslands along the river’s edge. Reconnecting the river to parts of that landscape is about restoring floodplain processes that let the river function more naturally, which creates the seasonal habitat young fish depend on.  

The post How Floodplains Grow Fish on the San Joaquin River appeared first on .

Just beyond campus sits Coal Oil Point Reserve and Devereux Slough, a tidal wetland shaped by shifting water and a surprising abundance of life. What might look like an open stretch of land from a distance is actually a dynamic, water-connected landscape. 

We asked UCSB students what this place means to them.

“It just feels like a quiet break from everything, even if you’re right next to campus.” — UCSB Environmental Studies Student 

More Than Open Space 

Coal Oil Point Reserve spans over 170 acres and protects a mix of coastal habitats, including salt marshes, estuaries, dunes, grasslands, and seasonal wetlands. At the center of it all, Devereux Slough shifts throughout the year, sometimes filling with water and at other times drying into salt flats and shallow channels. 

That constant transformation is part of what makes the landscape so compelling. It moves and responds, changing with the seasons. 

“Spaces like Coal Oil Point give students a controlled but natural environment to not just conduct research in, but also connect to it. These spaces allow UCSB undergrads to be as close as possible to some of our beautiful native wetland species, such as great blue herons, brown pelicans, garter snakes, slender salamanders, and countless more wildlife.” — UCSB Seeds Club Communications Chair

A Landscape Full of Life 

Look closer, and the wetland reveals itself as a place full of activity. Birds move through the area in large numbers using the slough and surrounding habitats to rest and feed, as well as lay their nests. 

Coal Oil Point is especially known for the western snowy plover, which is a small shorebird that relies on this coastline. Each winter, hundreds gather here, which makes it one of the most significant sites for the species in the United States. 

“Once you actually stop and look, there’s so much going on. Birds and so many sounds, it’s definitely way more alive than you might think.” — Earth Sciences UCSB Student 

“I didn’t realize how important the area is for wildlife until one of my classes talked about it. It really makes you want to visit it more during the school year.” — UCSB Student 

What People See in a Place Like This 

People connect to landscapes like this in different ways. For some, it’s about wildlife. For others, it’s about peace and simply having a place nearby that feels different from everyday routines. 

“It’s just nice that it’s there. Like you can go out and it’s quiet for a second, even during midterm seasons when things get hectic.” — UCSB Geography Student 

“It’s really pretty at sunset. That’s honestly when I notice it the most.”— UCSB Biological Studies Student 

“As an environmental student, it’s kind of a reminder for me that there’s really ecologically important functioning habitat right next to all this developed space.”— UCSB Environmental Studies Student

Why It Matters 

Places like Devereux Slough are easy to overlook, but they play a critical role in coastal ecosystems. Wetlands filter water, provide habitat, support biodiversity, and connect land and ocean systems in ways that are not always visible.

They also offer a way for people to connect with water and nature in their everyday lives. 

“It reminds me that we live in nature, not just around it, and we should always keep working to ease the integration of people with our environment.” — UCSB Coastal Fund Board Member

Coal Oil Point sits at the boundary between campus life and a living, changing ecosystem. It’s a place many students enjoy for recreation, whether they are jogging, biking, doing wildlife photography, or having a picnic. Students fill the area. Once they notice it, community members throughout Goleta find themselves returning to the peaceful haven. 

A Closing Reflection 

Over the past year, as American Rivers’ Communications Intern, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the connection between people and the natural places around them. It could be a nationally recognized river system or a quiet wetland beside a college campus, and in both cases, I’ve found that these landscapes matter because they give people a chance to pause and remember that nature is a central and meaningful part of our everyday lives.

That’s part of the power of conservation storytelling. Sometimes protecting a place means starting with simply noticing it. 

The next time you walk past your town’s natural oasis like Devereux Slough, I suggest you stop for a few minutes. Watch the birds glide across the water and listen to the breeze through the tall grasses, maybe even sit quietly at sunset before heading back into the rush of the day. 

As my time with American Rivers comes to a close, it feels fitting to end with a place like this one. This is a place that reminds us that even in the middle of busy lives and constant movement, there is still value in slowing down long enough to connect with the landscapes around us. 

Places like Devereux Slough reveal that the natural spaces woven into our everyday lives are both beautiful and deeply worth protecting for our future generations. 

The post The Places We Notice Become the Places We Protect appeared first on .

In season 1 of Wild Rivers with Tillie, she brought viewers down some of the West’s most beloved rivers. Some face perilous threats, and others offer a playbook for how to protect and preserve these cherished bodies of water. Viewers can join Tillie on the Rogue, the Colorado through Glen and Grand Canyon, the Yampa, and on the Snake. Throughout the season and on each of the rivers she explores, Tillie engages experts in thoughtful conversation about conservation, drought, and the future of the rivers that tether us to the landscape and to each other.

We had the opportunity to ask Tillie a few questions about the inspiration for her work (including hosting the show), some fun behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and what else she’s been working on (Tillie doesn’t sit down much)…

1) Tell us about the first river you remember spending time on.

What made the biggest impact on me was a 3-week trip in Big Bend National Park as a senior in high school. We spent three days canoeing on the Rio Grande through Santa Elena Canyon, and that changed my life forever. We were all inner-city kids, and some of us didn’t know how to swim. We were given these tippy little canoes, and I was secretly glad that I was with the instructor because I really did not want to flip my canoe! I was terrified.

At one point, the instructor told me, “I want you to put your paddle down.” I said, “What?” He said, “Put your paddle down, lie back, and just keep your eyes open.” And as I leaned back, I felt the river underneath me, the canyon walls towering around me, and the sky passing above me. We were drifting along the river, meandering through the canyon walls, and I don’t know how to describe it, except that something just clicked. And I instantly knew, this is it. This is what I want to do, and since then I’ve never looked back. That trip changed my life, and I’m so grateful.

2) Why dedicate so much of your life to rivers?

Honestly, it never occurred to me not to. Rivers have truly shaped who I am, and I feel most like my true self when I’m on a river. There are so many life lessons that the river teaches us, and in my career as a Grand Canyon guide, I saw how the river can open us up to something larger than ourselves and connect us to each other – regardless of politics, religion, socioeconomics, etc.

I’ve witnessed people light up, laugh, play, and heal by spending time on the water. And even though rivers can be intimidating, I’ve found my sense of peace and connection by being on, in, and around rivers. I want everybody to have the opportunity to experience that sense of awe, wonder, peace, connection, and freedom. It’s part of what I hope to give back to the world.

There are so few places that we can go in this world that give us a chance to quiet our minds and just really connect with something that’s beyond ourselves. Rivers put our smallness as humans into perspective, as well as our infinite grandeur. And I want to help preserve and protect these places.
Perhaps you could describe my drive for doing this as a love affair with the river, and sometimes with love, you have no choice—it’s just part of who you are.

3) What are the best, worst, and weirdest parts about filming season one?

Well, the best part is the people I’ve gotten to meet—from Native American leaders to conservative ranchers to river-running hippies. Talking with folks and recognizing that, despite how different our outer appearances may be, people are saying the exact same thing about their connection to the land and the river.

It always amazes me how much people truly care about these places and how much they are doing to protect the land and rivers in their own ways.

I also love getting to explore wild rivers, like the Devil’s River (which was probably one of my favorites), and go places I would have never thought to visit otherwise. It’s opened my eyes to rivers I didn’t know about and left me with a newfound sense of gratitude for our planet.

The worst part is cold river trips, disgusting hotel rooms, and all the driving. Most of these places are in the middle of nowhere and involve hours of driving with a very cramped car full of camera gear, and the three of us (Dan Duncan, our photographer and producer, the sound person, who is often a volunteer, and I) sharing a car with all of the gear for days on end. The hotel rooms can be kind of less than desirable in the middle of nowhere, but we make it work. And of course, I like warm weather, so the cold trips are not my favorite, but it’s still good to be on the river.

The weirdest (and fun) part is that Wild Rivers with Tillie is completely unscripted. River trips are unpredictable, and we are often going on the river, filming and talking with people I have just met. We never know what the storyline will be or how it will turn out until after the trip is over.

4) What is the thing that you’re most excited about right now in terms of your conservation work?

I’m most excited for the opportunity to show big love for Big Bend and the Rio Grande River. That’s the place I was talking about earlier that transformed my life. It’s under threat right now because there are plans to build a steel-structure border wall through the middle of our National Park, which will go through some of the most special places on earth and the Rio Grande River.

I hope others will realize this is a phenomenal place that needs to be protected. Our National Parks, and the rivers that flow through them, are some of America’s greatest treasures. I’m excited to have an opportunity to be a voice for that river and am always looking to get folks who are making decisions that impact these places on the river to experience it for themselves.

I’d like to issue an open invitation to anybody who is a policymaker—let me take you down the river and let the river speak for itself so that you can know why these places are truly treasures that we need to protect.

Q5: If you could embed everyone in the world with one piece of knowledge or understanding about rivers, what would it be?

Rivers are the exquisite jewels of our planet, and all of life depends on fresh water. Not only do rivers sustain life on an ecological and biological level, but they’re so good for the soul. I would say get out there and just spend some time by water! Water—whether it’s the ocean, rivers, lakes, taking a shower, or drinking a glass of water—it makes us all feel better!

Rivers make up less than 1% of all water on Earth. If you think of it in terms of jewelry, rivers decorate the earth like rare, beautiful, glistening diamond necklaces that sustain and support all life. These are the most exquisite gems of our planet, and I really wish that we could learn to take care of them as such. So learn about your local river, enjoy time on it, and learn what you can do to protect it.

Want to experience a river right now? Check out THIS immersive trip down the Grand Canyon that Tillie and her team created.

The post Q & A with Tillie Walton, Wild Rivers with Tillie appeared first on .

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is designed to safeguard exactly those kinds of values and resources. Congress created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 1968 to protect rivers that have outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values for present and future generations. The act protects a river’s free-flowing character and water quality and preserves “outstandingly remarkable values” such as fish and wildlife, scenery, recreation, geology, history, and culture. 

Clean Water, Public Lands, and Wildlife Remain Top Priorities Across the West

Colorado College’s 2026 Conservation in the West poll covering Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona provides the broad regional picture—85% of voters said issues involving public lands, waters, and wildlife are important in deciding whether to support an elected public official. That support resonated on both sides of the aisle, with nearly 8 in 10 Republicans and more than 9 in 10 Democrats saying those issues matter greatly to them. Those numbers do not mean every voter agrees on every designation in every place. What it does demonstrate is that the underlying values of Wild and Scenic Rivers still matter to voters across the region, including Republicans and Independents. When people hear “Wild and Scenic,” the phrase may sound like a label. In practice, it refers to protecting exactly the kinds of river values voters already say they want to keep. These shared priorities help explain why, when voters are asked about specific rivers, support carries through to long-term protections and, in some places, to Wild and Scenic River designation. 

In Eastern Idaho, Priorities Translate to Local Rivers 

A May 2025 poll in eastern Idaho shows this connection clearly. The survey polled registered voters in six eastern Idaho counties, with roughly two-thirds of respondents identifying as Republican.  

These voters, who live at the headwaters of the Snake River system, were asked what they found most convincing about protecting local rivers. Fish and wildlife habitat emerged as the top reason, followed by economic benefits and clean drinking water. The results show that many voters view river protection through concrete benefits like wildlife habitat, clean water, and community well-being. 

The same poll found that voters identified water pollution and increasing development pressure along riverbanks as the two biggest threats to eastern Idaho’s rivers. These concerns reflect the kinds of threats that long-term river protections are designed to address. 

Support Carries Through to Wild and Scenic Designation 

This pattern is not limited to just general attitudes about rivers in specific places. When voters are asked about specific designations, support remains strong. 

The University of Montana’s Public Lands Survey in 2020, 2024, and 2026 found strong voter backing for designating the Gallatin, Madison, and other rivers near Bozeman, Montana, as part of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Similarly, polling in New Mexico shows broad agreement with protecting the Gila River watershed. A 2020 statewide poll found that more than three-quarters of voters support designating portions of the Gila and San Francisco Rivers as Wild and Scenic Rivers, including clear majorities in counties surrounding the rivers themselves. 

Together, these findings reinforce a consistent trend across the West that when voters are asked about real rivers and real places, support for Wild and Scenic River designation remains strong. 

As Congress considers bills like the Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement and Tourism Act and the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act, these polls offer a clear message. For more than a decade, Western voters have consistently expressed their support for clean water, wildlife, and protected rivers. The opportunity now is for their public lands champions in Congress to act on those priorities and move these bills across the finish line this session. 

The Through Line 

Polling does not replace local knowledge and river management plans or the careful work that goes into any proposed designation. But it helps answer a broad, important question: Do the values behind Wild and Scenic Rivers connect with Western voters? The evidence here suggests yes. 

Across the West, voters continue to say that public lands, clean water, and wildlife matter to urban and rural ways of life. In New Mexico and Montana, those same values translated into strong support for protecting rivers through Wild and Scenic River designation, demonstrating how broad priorities for clean water and wildlife carry through to specific rivers and real policy decisions. Wild and Scenic Rivers protect the qualities that make rivers matter, and many voters across party lines favor protecting those qualities. 

The post Western Voters Consistently Back High-Value River Protections appeared first on .

The Myakka River is woven into everyday life in Sarasota County, Florida, with sunny mornings on the water, fishing, and paddling along the gentle waters with the occasional manatee sighting, if you’re lucky. Like all rivers, its value lies in many things at once. It is a habitat. It is a livelihood. It is clean water. It is local identity, and the backdrop for the memories people carry with them. It is dollars and cents in the pockets of local businesses. It is also part of a larger watershed that connects people together and to the beauty around them amid one of the fastest-growing areas in America.  

The Myakka is a rain-fed river, rising and falling with the seasons, sometimes shrinking back to expose dry stretches of riverbed and then filling again with the next rains.  

Miri Hardy, founder of the Myakka River Partnership and a longtime advocate for the river, alludes to its emotional pull. She describes what she calls “The Myakka’s magic … it’s just one of those places that gets under your skin.” Her accounts of the river’s meaningful connection to people in the region reflect a broader pattern where people form strong, lasting connections to specific natural backyard places.  

Why the Myakka is a case study in cooperative conservation 

The Myakka is an inspiring example of how local commitment can shape national conservation efforts through a rich history of cooperation and dedicated river stewardship.

The Myakka River Management Coordinating Council was established in 1985 under Florida’s Myakka River Wild and Scenic Designation and Preservation Act, state-level protection enacted to coordinate management of the river across state agencies.  

As Hardy puts it, federal designation is “icing on the cake, but you have to have the cake first.” In other words, federal Wild and Scenic River designation builds on committed, long-term local and state-scale conservation efforts.  

That foundation is also part of what has generated strong local enthusiasm to protect the Myakka and its magic. Hardy says, “You just say ‘Myakka’ and their face … it just relaxes, and it breaks into a smile.” For many in Sarasota County, the river is tied to a shared sense of place.

After decades of local effort in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, residents and advocates recognized that protecting the river would require more than local commitment alone. Ensuring its future meant pursuing protections at the federal level. 

Enter Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL-17) and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and the Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act of 2025—a major step towards federal protection. 

Established in 1968, the Wild and Scenic Rivers System keeps rivers free-flowing, protects their water quality, and preserves their natural, cultural, and recreational values for future generations. The law that created this special river system was enacted in recognition of the important role that rivers play in communities and for wildlife. 

With federal designation, the magical Myakka will join 18 other rivers protected as Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers. These 18 rivers flow through a patchwork of public lands, private property, and various local jurisdictions in eastern states, as opposed to Wild and Scenic Rivers in the west, which cross vast expanses of public lands. Partnership Wild and Scenic River designations bring together communities, tribes, nonprofits, and local governments before designation to hammer out a clear plan for managing rivers across jurisdictional boundaries. 

Rivers do not recognize our maps and boundaries. Flowing across public and private lands, they connect people and places in ways that demand shared responsibility. That’s where Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers designations shine. By empowering local communities to lead, this approach brings people together across property lines to protect what they share. Rivers may not follow our boundaries, but through collaboration, they can benefit from lasting protection. 

A broader lesson for river protection 

The story of the Myakka River offers a larger lesson for our nation. Our 4.4 million miles of rivers are alarmingly under-protected. Roughly 80% lack adequate safeguards, and about two-thirds have no protection at all. Meanwhile, community demands on these waterways are growing, and the threats they face—from extreme weather to pollution—are increasing. Wild and Scenic River designations remain our strongest tool to ensure these rivers continue to support people and wildlife for generations to come. After all, freshwater is one of our nation’s most valuable resources. 

People connect to rivers in many ways, but those bonds create a shared understanding of why protecting them matters. Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers offers a locally focused approach, recognizing that protection can take different forms depending on the landscape and the community involved. The Myakka River shows what this can look like in practice. 

When people feel connected to a river, they show up for it—and as the Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act of 2025 shows, that connection can turn into powerful long-term national protection. 

The post The Magic of the Myakka appeared first on .

The Congressional Review Act was first enacted in 1996 and was designed to allow Congress to review major federal regulations that are listed as rules in the Federal Register. Historically, it was used infrequently. Before 2016, the CRA had been used only once. Today, it’s often used to undo administrative rules the current Congressional majority disagrees with. Still, its use as a public lands management tool is unprecedented. 

The CRA was never intended to apply to presidential action under the Antiquities Act, land withdrawals grounded in statutes, or site-specific land protections. National monuments and major land protections are exercises of delegated Congressional power, not agencies interpreting law. Because of this distinction, using the CRA in the context of public lands management stretches the word “rule” far beyond how it’s been understood before.  

In January 2026, the House passed a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn a mining ban near Minnesota’s pristine Boundary Waters. Shortly after, the Government Accountability Office issued a groundbreaking opinion concluding that the Bureau of Land Management’s 2025 management plan for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument could be overturned using the CRA, prompting a countdown for votes to undo protections for the Escalante River. 

For the first time, environmental protections for beloved fish species like cutthroat and lake trout, mining bans in sensitive watersheds, and public lands management decisions are being subjected to the CRA and its consequences, without public input. Once rules are revoked by the CRA, the creation of similar rules is prohibited without another act of Congress.   

When Congress votes to overturn hard-won public lands and water protections, they are overturning years of rigorous scientific review and sidelining public input, including the voices of hunters and anglers, Tribal and local communities, and conservationists around the country. They are risking the right of all Americans to enjoy access to public lands, jeopardizing local recreation economies, and harming sources of clean water.  

Our love for public lands, clean water, and abundant wildlife is something that unites us all. Our public lands deserve durable protection. Let’s remind our elected leaders that the Congressional Review Act shouldn’t be used to permanently strip protections from public lands and waters.

The post Public Lands and Waters Deserve Durable Protections, Not Congressional Review Act Chaos   appeared first on .

But America’s rivers are losing their life-giving power – choked by dams, contaminated by pollution, and overwhelmed by increasingly severe floods and droughts. This is not just an environmental tragedy, but a profound threat to our health, communities, and safety. We can still protect our vital lifelines, but we have to do it quickly. 

This is why, each year, American Rivers issues America’s Most Endangered Rivers® – a call to action for the rivers we all depend on. 

In the unenviable lead position on the America’s Most Endangered Rivers® list this year is the Potomac River. This river, threatened by both data center expansion and pollution, exemplifies how the compounding threats our rivers are facing can collide, creating impacts that can reverberate far downstream.  

Each year, in partnership with local advocates and communities, the report draws attention to urgent threats and the solutions needed to protect the rivers that sustain us all. At a time when new and emerging pressures are reshaping how we manage water, acting now has never been more critical.  

America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2026: 10 Rivers in Need of Your Help  

1. Potomac River: The rapid, unchecked buildout of data centers along the Potomac River threatens the drinking water for our nation’s capital and surrounding areas, while a historic sewage spill raises alarms about aging infrastructure. 

2. San Joaquin: A massive gravel mine proposed along the river would jeopardize drinking water supplies for the Fresno region and reverse major salmon restoration progress.  

3. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: The Twin Metals mine would bring acid-mine drainage to an iconic wilderness—endangering clean water, wildlife, and a major outdoor recreation economy.  

4. Lumber River: Toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS and other industrial pollution are pushing this Wild and Scenic River to the brink.   

5. Rogue River: Mining pollution and the potential loss of Roadless Rule safeguards threaten this river’s remarkable salmon runs and incredible recreational value.  

6. Chilkat River: The ongoing development of a large–scale hard rock mine threatens habitat for fish and wildlife and would irreparably harm Alaskan Native communities. 

7. Nissequogue River: A failed dam that freed a major section of Long Island’s largest river might be replaced, threatening fish and wildlife recovery.  

8. Dan River: Fossil fuel pipeline construction threatens drinking water supplies with pollution and increased flood risk for downstream communities.  

9. Amargosa River: Mining operations threaten drinking water supplies and the unique fish and wildlife that depend on this desert lifeline.  

10. Suwannee River: Excessive water withdrawals, sewage, and agricultural pollution are testing this river’s limits in the extreme.  

America’s Most Endangered Rivers® has a long history of driving real change. For 41 years, this campaign has built momentum behind solutions that protect clean water and healthy rivers. Our nation’s 4.4 million miles of rivers deserve nothing less than our best.  

This year’s endangered rivers can become tomorrow’s success stories if we act now. Learn more about the rivers at risk in 2026 and take action today! 

The post America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2026 is a Call to Action for Healthy Rivers and a Cleaner Water Supply  appeared first on .

Pressures on rivers are increasing. Extreme weather, water shortages, mining, and pollution are placing new demands on waterways that were already concerningly under protected. According to our National Protected Rivers Assessment, nearly two-thirds of the nation’s 4.4 million miles of rivers lack any protection at all. The rivers we drink from, the rivers we recreate on, the rivers that support life in our country are at risk.

Our rivers need urgent action right now. Wild and Scenic River designations are a good place to start.

In 1968, Congress passed the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, one of our nation’s most effective tools for protecting incredible rivers. This protection is a commonsense, bipartisan tool that lets communities protect their local water resources, while also allowing for the responsible use and management of the river corridor. Today, the Act protects more than 13,000 river miles, a small slice of what’s needed but a huge opportunity to build upon decades of successful conservation.

In this Congress, there are more than 15 Wild and Scenic River bills that have been introduced, from the Florida to Washington.  Each of these bills represents the opportunity for our elected leaders to demonstrate strong bipartisanship leadership to protect clean water.

Five Reasons to Pass Wild and Scenic River Protections in 2026

1.     River protection reflects the values Americans share

Voters across the country repeatedly expressed their support for the protection of clean water and wildlife habitat, and rivers are at the heart of these priorities. Communities rely on them for everything from clean drinking water to fishing, recreation, and tourism–even local identity (who lives in a “river city”?). Wild and Scenic River designations let Congress sustain these values head on. Safeguarding rivers that hold outstanding ecological, recreational, or cultural importance ensures lawmakers protect the landscapes people care about most, keeping them and their communities healthy, accessible, and economically vibrant. Wild and Scenic River designations preserve existing river character at a time when communities nationwide are facing increasing pressure from development.

2.     Wild and Scenic Rivers are supported on both sides of the aisle

These are just a few of the bill introductions demonstrating that protecting rivers and clean water is commonsense bipartisan policy and something that can unite us all.

Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act of 2025 in the Senate and House, respectively, to protect portions of the rain-fed Myakka River. Wild and Scenic River designation would protect this river’s manatees, American alligators, support multi-generational cattle ranching, and honor a 50-year legacy of protection by Sarasota County and the state of Florida.

Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) has emphasized the importance of conserving public lands and river corridors that are tied to Montana’s outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing heritage. Through his Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement and Tourism Act, nearly a hundred miles of the Gallatin and Madison Rivers would be protected for generations of anglers to come.

Sen. Heinrich (D-NM) and Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) introduced the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act to protect nearly 450 miles of the Gila and San Francisco Rivers and their tributaries as well as the $450 million they bring into the New Mexico economy annually.

3.     Wild and Scenic Rivers support local economies and outdoor recreation

Protected rivers are the backbone of many local economies. Communities have long benefited from the fishing, paddling, rafting, wildlife viewing, and tourism that healthy river systems crucially support. River-based tourism sustains outfitters, guides, retail stores, hotels, breweries, restaurants, and other local businesses that benefit from outdoor recreation. Wild and Scenic River designations help guarantee that the natural character of rivers stay intact, which is essential for attracting visitors and their tourism dollars.

4.     River protections allow for continued responsible land management

River protection and land stewardship go hand-in-hand. River corridors protected by Wild and Scenic River designations are compatible with forest management, including wildfire mitigation efforts. Each river has a management plan developed to ensure that conservation goals are balanced with responsible stewardship of the river’s surrounding lands. This collaborative approach allows communities and land managers to protect river values while also achieving fuels reduction, forest health, recreation, and timber objectives.

5.     Wild and Scenic Rivers are built on community-driven conservation

Wild and Scenic River designations always begin with local communities. Local governments, private landowners, tribes, conservation groups, state agencies, local businesses, and passionate community members work together for years to study rivers, develop their management plans, and elevate their importance to elected officials. This teamwork builds support for river protection before, during, and after legislation is introduced in Congress. This community-driven model helps make certain that river protections reflect the needs of the people who actually live closest to them.

Protecting Rivers is a Practical Step Forward

Americans nationwide are navigating complex environmental challenges, including drought and wildfire. As pressures on water systems intensify, communities need solutions that are both effective and broadly supported. Protecting rivers through the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act provides that path forward.

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act safeguards clean water and protects wildlife habitat. It also encourages the outdoor traditions that define many communities in the United States. They also demonstrate that conservation can succeed when local collaboration and bipartisan leaders come together backed by consistent support from the public.

In 2026, Congress has a clear opportunity to act. During Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week last week, lawmakers heard directly from communities and partners across the country about the importance of protecting free-flowing rivers. Advancing new Wild and Scenic River designations now would build on a proven legacy of bipartisan conservation while ensuring the rivers communities depend on continue to flow freely for generations to come.

The post Let’s Give Wild and Scenic River Bills Their Time to Shine in Congress This Year appeared first on .