The mission of American Rivers is to protect wild rivers, restore damaged rivers and conserve clean water for people and nature.

Organization scope

National

Contact

Kelly Catlett
916-610-2038
kcatlett@americanrivers.org

Resources from American RiversAll resources

Court Cases   7/6/2018

American Rivers v. FERC (III)

Case Studies › Collections › Reports   12/1/1999

Dam Removal Success Stories

Comments & Filings › Laws, court cases, and filings   7/2/2021

Felt Dam Draft License Application Comment

Case Studies › Reports   3/22/2022

Free Rivers: The State of Dam Removal in the U.S.

Tribal Resources › Videos   12/17/2020

Guardians of the River

Videos   1/1/2013

Hydropower Reform Can Save Rivers

Videos   1/1/2007

Marmot Dam Removal

Comments & Filings › Reservoir Emissions › Sample pleadings   8/16/2021

Motion to Intervene & Comments on Draft Supplemental EIS on the Coosa Project

Comments & Filings › Laws, court cases, and filings   4/23/2021

Office of Public Participation Comment

Case Studies › Hydro Guides › Tools and Guides   5/1/1996

River Renewal: Restoring Rivers Through Hydropower Dam Relicensing

Hydro Guides › Recommended Reading   1/1/1989

Rivers at Risk: The Concerned Citizen’s Guide to Hydropower

Videos   1/1/2012

Save the Skykomish River

Recommended Reading › Tribal Resources   4/14/2020

The Sacred River (The Source, Spring 2020)

Videos   9/2/2011

Year of the River

 

News and updates from American RiversAll news

4/20/2023

Dollars and Dams: Building Safety into California’s Future

The near-failure of Oroville Dam on February 7, 2017 was a major wake-up call regarding the risks posed by dams in California and nationwide.  The January 5, 2023 spillway failure of the North Fork Dam on Pacheco Creek is an unfortunate sign that California has much work to do to ensure dam safety. The North […]

4/18/2023

America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2023 Spotlights Human Health and Public Safety

Today we announce America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2023.  From dams and outdated water management to toxic pollution and development projects that would devastate river habitats, this report spotlights ten rivers in the U.S. that are at a crossroads and whose fates will be decided in the coming year. This year’s list underscores how essential […]

2/14/2023

Dam Removals Continue Across The U.S. in 2022

Dam removal practitioners across the country are continuing to break down river barriers— 65 dams were removed across the country in 2022, reconnecting more than 430 upstream river miles across 20 states. We look forward to a year in which dams are reported to be removed in all 50 states! In the meantime, we celebrate […]

2/1/2023

It Snowed – Is The Colorado River Saved?

With the substantial amount of snow that has fallen across the Colorado River basin over the past couple of months, I have been asked many questions about the state of the drought, and whether all this precipitation will reverse the severe declines in both Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Will all this snow “save” the […]

1/1/2023

The Fate of a Dam in Cherokee

Joey Owle’s quest to remove a dam, secure the future of native species, and restore Long Man The cicadas drone as Joey and I chat over coffees on a gorgeous late-summer morning along the Oconaluftee River in Cherokee, North Carolina. A few leaves on the trees are starting to turn yellow and spiral their way […]

12/22/2022

Key Takeaways from the Omnibus Spending Package: What’s in it for rivers?

In the remaining days of 2022, we’re happy to share some important wins for rivers – including funding for critical clean water and river restoration programs, as well as new Wild and Scenic River designations. While there’s much to be thankful for, the bill still has a number of shortcomings. In this blog, we break […]

11/21/2022

Effort to Restore North Carolina’s Oconaluftee River Advances

Contact: Molly Phillips, Mainspring Conservation Trust, 828.524.2711 or mphillips@mainspringconserves.org Chuck Ahlrichs, Northbrook Carolina Hydro II, LLC 480.551.1221 or cahlrichs@nbenergy.com Erin McCombs, American Rivers, 828.649.7887 or emccombs@americanrivers.org Joey Owle, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, 828.359.6260 or joeyowle@ebci-nsn.gov A regionally and nationally significant river restoration project is moving forward on the Oconaluftee River, where a coalition of […]

11/21/2022

Sound Rivers: Keepers of the Neuse River

Progress is the reason American Rivers named the Neuse River its 2022 River of the Year — progress since the passage of the Clean Water Act 50 years ago and progress that is yet to come. None of it could be accomplished without the dedication and determination of the communities along the Neuse’s banks. Leading […]

11/17/2022

Five key lessons as world’s biggest dam removal project will soon begin on the Klamath River

After more than 100 years of being dammed, the lower Klamath River will flow free once again. To be able to make that statement, it has taken decades of advocacy by Tribes who depend on a living Klamath River for their cultural identity and for their food security. It has also taken years of effort […]

11/4/2022

The mighty Mississippi running dry: what you need to know

Water levels in the Mississippi River hit record lows in the past month. The drought is impacting shipping along the river, along with business and tourism in river communities.