We lost valued community members.

We lost access to natural spaces we relied on for recharge and connection.

The rivers we loved for fishing, paddling, and sustaining local businesses were left clogged with trash and debris.

Infrastructure like roads, bridges, and dams failed — leaving disconnection and communities at risk.

When I think back to those early days, I remember hearing the same question again and again: “Where can I help?” And the answer was simple, help your neighbors. We formed flush brigades (without running water we hauled non-potable water for flushing toilets), filled each other’s drinking water jugs, and shared hot drinks in my driveway as we organized to make sure that everyone had what they needed most.

Of course, restoring rivers is also my job. In order to be most helpful, I knew we needed to work together with local partners — who in many cases were my neighbors. With MountainTrue and Riverlink we listed the Rivers of Southern Appalachia on America’s Most Endangered Rivers® list to call for the resources we need to recover. Our advocacy centered on making rivers and communities safer — by addressing high-risk dams, removing storm debris, rebuilding stronger water infrastructure, supporting voluntary floodplain buyouts, and ensuring access to federal recovery funds.

The progress of the past year has been grounded in one clear goal: not just to repair rivers, but to make them more resilient for the future. One major win came through House Bill 1012 that created the new North Carolina Dam Safety Grant Fund with $10 million dedicated to addressing high-hazard dams damaged by Helene. Additional resources flowed to MountainTrue to support storm debris cleanup which created jobs and ensured ongoing reciprocity for our rivers. Another silver lining was when we brought the community together to celebrate at New Belgium Brewing to toast our hard work and take action for the work that’s ahead.

Recovery doesn’t end when the debris is cleared or when the funding comes through for the dam removal. True resilience means preparing for the future knowing that the next storm is on the horizon, focusing on advocacy efforts that will help long term.

 America’s Most Endangered Rivers® calls on communities to spotlight the rivers at a crossroads, where decisions in the next year will shape their future for decades. Nominations are open now and it is a powerful way to keep community safety at the forefront of public attention.

As I mark this anniversary, I feel deep gratitude for the rivers that keep flowing, for the partners who stood shoulder to shoulder in recovery, and for the colleagues who continued to inspire me with their commitment and care. Helene reminded me that resilience is both a collective and personal journey. As we look ahead, I carry the resolve that we can and must build a future where rivers — and the people who depend on them — are ready not just to survive the next storm but to thrive in its aftermath.

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While much attention goes to what divides us, I think we have more in common than not. That is the lesson from the Yakima River, where government, the Yakama Nation, conservationists and agriculture have united to address urgent water and salmon scarcity in central Washington. It’s a successful model we can apply to the Columbia Basin.

In 2023, the U.S. government, the states of Washington and Oregon, and four tribal nations set aside decades of confrontation over dams, fish conservation, and treaty rights and signed the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement. It was deeply disappointing, then, when the executive memorandum came down last month, withdrawing the federal government from this historic $1 billion commitment to restore the Northwest’s primary river basin.

As a lifelong conservationist, I felt profound loss for the region I love and strive every day to protect. A healthy Columbia Basin is the linchpin of life in the Pacific Northwest. Our clean water, our farms, our energy, our salmon and the 137 known animal species they support, our intertwined local economies – all of this, and more, depend on the river.

Ending this federal investment is a setback, but it doesn’t mean threats to the Columbia and its tributaries, including dams, habitat loss, overharvesting and warm waters, have also disappeared. Where does the Pacific Northwest go from here? Giving up on the Columbia Basin is not an option. We must find another way, rooted in collaboration and shared values.

Occasional increases in salmon returning to the basin are held up as signs of hope, but sadly, they don’t tell the whole story. What matters most for long-term recovery are unique populations of healthy and abundant wild fish. The scientific reality is grim. Returning stocks of Columbia River fish are nowhere near the interim goal of 5 million by 2025, set by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council in 1987, let alone the 10 to 16 million wild fish that returned historically.

“Context is important when we’re talking about fish status and facts,” -a fisheries biologist for the Nez Perce Tribe explained at a news conference last month.

Of the 16 salmon and steelhead stocks that once spawned above where Bonneville Dam sits today, four are extinct and seven still listed under the Endangered Species Act. In the Snake River basin, spring/summer stocks of chinook salmon are nearly functionally extinct. These are signs of a continuing crisis. They should motivate all who live, work and depend on these rivers to come together on local solutions.

We know how to restore the Columbia. We have a blueprint based on decades of relationships, knowledge and expertise that addresses thoughtful actions for recovering salmon. At the same time, we must ensure tribes, communities and the farmers who support a multibillion-dollar agricultural industry thrive. Washington state agencies must complete their studies into how services provided by the four dams on the lower Snake River can continue when the dams are breached. The state Legislature directed agencies to plan for service continuity in four areas:

1. Transportation alternatives to wheat barging along the lower Snake
2. Water from a free-flowing river for farms and municipalities
3. River recreation
4. Clean energy projects in lieu of hydropower. So far, these studies show great promise

The reservoir behind Ice Harbor Dam irrigates up to 55,000 acres of farmland, and Lewiston and Clarkston use the reservoir behind Lower Granite Dam for municipal water. A plan by the Department of Ecology shows there will be more than enough water in a free-flowing lower Snake River to cover these needs. Likewise, the Department of Transportation’s initial work on rail and road options for moving wheat from Eastern Washington, Idaho and Oregon looks viable.

Boaters, hikers, fishers, jetboaters, whitewater rafters and the cruise industry provided input to the Recreation and Conservation Office about the benefits and tradeoffs of restoring a free-flowing river. The state’s energy study will be completed in 2026. Given that the four dams on the lower Snake generate just 4% of the region’s total electricity, there is every reason to feel positive about alternatives here, too.

We have work to do in the Columbia. Fortunately, the tribal leadership and the state, community and environmental groundswell remain. It’s up to us to stay connected on a vision for healthy rivers, a strong economy, and vibrant communities. Instead of maintaining status quo in a world that can no longer sustain it, we can reimagine and work toward a thriving region for everyone – now, and for future generations.

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In December, an atmospheric river pummeled Northern California, bringing with it heavy rainfall. But if you were in the Rollingwood neighborhood in Western Contra Costa County, you probably didn’t need to bring your rainboots. For two decades, residents had been dealing with flooding as Rheem Creek, which was choked with nonnative vegetation, sediment, trash, and other obstructions, overtopped its banks and spilled out into the streets. Drainage pipes flowed in the opposite direction and homes were flooded and damaged. But this past December, after the construction phase of the project funded by the CA Natural Resources Agency had concluded, Rheem Creek flowed safely and swiftly through the backyards of its neighbors.  

Myself and others from the project team joined the neighborhood on a mild winter day as those who were instrumental to this project were recognized for their hard work and success. It had rained the previous weekend, and it was exciting to see how a weather event that would have flooded the streets before this project was implemented had already drained out of the watershed by the time we arrived. Instead of residents scrambling to protect their homes, we could share a warm, sunny day full of laughter, excitement, and wonderful conversation centered on the Rollingwood community. 

The Rheem Creek Flood Risk Reduction project is a great example of how bringing people together can serve the community, and how urban creek restorations can transform from an idea into a reality. The project site transects numerous residential properties in the City of Richmond, and impacted homes and streets in unincorporated Contra Costa County, so bringing it to life took creativity, cooperation, and input, combining the dedication and leadership of the City of Richmond, Contra Costa County, the expertise and experience of multiple environmental nongovernmental organizations, and the input of the community to create a positive change for a neighborhood that has been dealing with the effects of a changing climate. And the project isn’t a “one and done” effort. We are currently collaborating with our project partners, including a coalition of community members, to monitor and maintain the creek over the next two years and to help the community maintain the creek in the long term.  

And this important work continues elsewhere! American Rivers is looking towards more urban creek restoration across the cities of Northern California, with projects initiated in Sacramento, Brentwood, and Stockton. The work at Rheem Creek is important in its own right, but also serves as a model for how to bring greenspace and all the benefits of flood risk reduction to the communities that need it.  

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If you find the images heartbreaking, you are not alone. If you don’t already understand why this tragedy is happening, you should know that the Southern Resident orcas are very hungry and malnourished. Their numbers have dwindled to just 72 individuals, down from 88 in 2005 when they were listed under the Endangered Species Act. Two other calves and two adults from their pods perished in 2024 alone.

Four dams along the lower Snake River in Eastern Washington have blocked the passage of the wild Chinook salmon the Southern Residents rely upon for food for decades. Historically, the Snake was the largest salmon-producing tributary in the entire Columbia River basin. In addition to affecting predators like the orca, the loss of salmon species has devastated the region’s Tribal Nations, whose members depend on healthy salmon runs for their own sustenance, culture, and survival.  

There are 14 dams on the mainstem Columbia River, and more than 60 dams on rivers across the Columbia basin, but the four lower Snake dams have had an outsized impact on salmon runs. Many scientific studies conclude that breaching these four dams is the best and most expedient way to address the river’s salmon scarcity. American Rivers, in collaboration with many partners, strongly advocate for removal of the dams to restore a free-flowing lower Snake River, while investing in infrastructure to maintain or enhance the region’s hydropower, transportation, and irrigation needs. This is part of an effort to restore the entire Columbia River Basin through an initiative led by the Warm Spring Tribes, Yakama Nation, Umatilla Tribes, and Nez Perce Tribe, as well as the states of Washington and Oregon.  

“We know breaching the dams is central to healing the Snake River, and we are determined to keep momentum towards that end,” said Sarah Dyrdahl, northwest regional director for American Rivers. “Additionally, we are actively supporting and leading on many other projects that are critical to the health of the whole Columbia Basin, which the Snake River, of course, flows into.” 

Those projects include millions of dollars of investment in fish recovery, floodplain restoration, irrigation efficiencies, and the removal of other barriers affecting the natural flow of the Columbia River and its major tributaries, notably the Snake and Yakima.  

On the lower Snake River, breaching the dams is anticipated to bring enormous benefit not only to the salmon and the Southern Resident orcas, but to the whole Pacific Northwest ecosystem, which includes more than 100 species that depend on salmon, as well as the people who live across the region. This website, Imagining a New Future for the Lower Snake River, shows what dam removal would mean for everyone, from Tribes to farmers, hunters to business owners, and provides a vision of what a restored river would look like. 

To ensure everyone benefits when we transition to a free-flowing lower Snake River, multiple studies have been underway to determine alternatives to the services the four lower Snake River dams currently provide for energy, transportation, irrigation, and recreation. Most recently, the Washington Department of Ecology and the Bureau of Reclamation released a draft water supply replacement study. American Rivers and our partners applaud the study’s key findings, including that sufficient water would exist in a free-flowing lower Snake River to meet all current agricultural, municipal, and industrial needs year-round, even under low-water scenarios. 

“This study is a milestone for the Pacific Northwest,” Kayeloni Scott, executive director of the Columbia Snake River Campaign, said in a statement. “It’s an acknowledgment of the harm caused by the lower Snake River dams to Tribes and their treaty-protected rights, while also showing how we can restore salmon, irrigate crops, and support thriving communities. The solutions outlined here prove it’s not a choice between fish and farms but rather an opportunity to have both.” 

Breaching the lower Snake dams aligns with a national and global trend in dam removal, which recognizes the environmental and economic benefits that come to all with the return to healthy, free-flowing rivers. As Tahlequah is desperately showing us, it is action we must urgently embrace in the Pacific Northwest. 

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The storms’ most apparent impacts were in the shattered homes, damaged roadways, and the extensive loss of property left behind in the immediate aftermath. While the community impacts have been extensive, the storms left a major mark on our rivers as well – which supply drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people and are the backbone of local economies. The immense volume of water altered the path of the rivers, undermined the safety of many of the 1,500 dams in the region, while pulling in unfathomable amounts of structural debris which if left unattended will pose serious long-term threats to drinking water supplies and all of the people and wildlife who depend on our rivers. 

Dedicated disaster recovery funding is desperately needed in North Carolina to protect people and restore rivers. With unprecedented hurricane damage ranging from Lake Lure to Asheville and up to Boone, the scope and scale of the debris removal is unprecedented. In many cases, traditional debris removal strategies would be ineffective and environmentally destructive. An investment through AmeriCorps or similar programs within the Department of Labor would create the workforce to address the state’s cleanup needs in an environmentally and economically effective way while also investing in the impacted communities. These activate regional stream debris teams would partner with federal, state, and local agencies to restore rivers like the Green, French Broad, Watauga, and Catawba Rivers in time for spring. 

The flood waters took a severe toll on the aging and often unmaintained dams across western North Carolina. Inspections by local, state and federal officials are underway and dozens of dams have been identified as a high threat to public safety. If a major winter storm were to hit the region, it is not likely these compromised dams would be able to withstand the increase in water flows – and the failure of these dams could unleash a deluge that claims more lives and causes more devastation. 

The North Carolina dam safety program needs an influx of resources from Congress to assess dam conditions and remove those that are unsafe and unneeded. Additionally, the U.S. Forest Service manages a significant amount of land in the impacted area and they have not yet had the capacity to assess the status or condition of the numerous dams within the boundaries and affecting the Forest Service lands. Regularly inspected and assessed dams are crucial to keeping people safe. The better data we have, the quicker decisions can be made to save lives. 
 
The North Carolina General Assembly will adjourn in short time without any meaningful investments in the recovery of western North Carolina, leaving the federal government as the only option for relief funding to help our state recover in an ecologically and economically resilient manner.  
 
A coalition of 132 organizations and businesses including public health professionals, community associations, think tanks, land trusts, floodplain managers, conservation districts, waterkeepers, rural voices, farm workers, and more, called on Congress to invest in the restoration of our rivers and communities through the passage of an emergency supplemental appropriations bill before Congress adjourns. This legislation must include enhanced public safety, restoration, and infrastructure to help our communities rebuild. 

The opportunity to invest in restoring our storm-damaged rivers and in removing failing infrastructure cannot be missed. 

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When asked what drew them to river conservation, each member reveals a unique path that led to the same calling. And like all river-loving conservationists, each had that defining moment when their work became more than a job – it became their mission. Here are their stories.

Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy, Director of River Restoration

Lisa has helped transform rivers across Pennsylvania and West Virginia, contributing to 103 dam removal projects. She brings together communities, engineers, and conservationists to restore rivers to their natural state.

The spark: where it all began
For Lisa, it was a series of powerful images that shaped her future. “I can still see them in my mind’s eye,” she recalls. “As a teenager, I watched a news reel of the Cuyahoga River on fire. Later, I witnessed the starved Alcovy River downstream from an amenity lake where I’d once fished, swam, and ice skated. The riverside habitat had become a ghost forest because an earthen dam was hoarding its water.” 

These early experiences coincided with watershed moments in environmental protection — Earth Day, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. “These changes helped me envision a career dedicated to caring for the environment.” 

Defining moments: why this work matters
In fifteen minutes, Lisa’s life changed forever. “We had just removed a failing dam on a tributary to the Allegheny River,” she remembers. “The dam had been blocking wild brook trout from reaching their headwaters since the 1940s. After the concrete dam came down and the big yellow equipment fell silent, I stood on the stream bank, watching the current flow freely for the first time in generations. Within fifteen minutes, the first brook trout appeared, swimming tentatively past where the dam had stood. It turned a couple of slow circles, as if checking out the improvements to the neighborhood. Then it shot up the channel in a silver flash — the first fish to ascend to home waters in many fish generations. As my tears flowed, I wished for safe passage for the trout and knew beyond all doubt that reconnecting rivers was my life’s work. 

Lia Mastropolo, Director of Clean Water Supply

Lia partners with cities, states, and organizations along the East Coast to develop programs that reduce river pollution while strengthening the resilience of cities in the face of climate change. Her expertise in federal and local initiatives helps transform policy into action, ensuring that clean, healthy rivers remain accessible to everyone.

The spark: where it all began
For Lia, the connection to water started early. “Whenever I’m outdoors, I’m most interested in being near water,” she says. “When I was a kid that meant catching tadpoles in the pond at the center of my subdivision and finding every seep and spring in the woods behind my house. Looking back, all those waters were polluted, but I didn’t know that then — they were simply magical, mysterious places to me. It was only later in my twenties, when I was hired to do admin work for a local nature preserve, that I learned you could actually get a job working with rivers.”

Defining moments: why this work matters
Between city blocks and behind houses, Lia finds magic in urban waterways. “Last fall I had the opportunity to lead a group of young people along Cobbs Creek in Philadelphia as part of a career discovery program. We were looking for signs of pollution and erosion, and we certainly found that. But we also found some incredibly beautiful sections of stream and forest, hidden away behind the houses. The sound of the water running over rocks took me immediately out of the noise of the city. I thought, if we can make places like this cleaner, safer, and more accessible, we can all have that feeling of discovery right in our back yards. That’s what really excites me about this work.”

Jessie Thomas-Blate, Director of River Restoration

Jessie excels in turning river restoration data into compelling stories of success. By documenting dam removals and their benefits, she helps communities and partners across the country envision what’s possible when rivers flow free.

The spark: where it all began
For Jessie, the path to river conservation started with a love of animals. “In my junior year of college, studying in Costa Rica opened my eyes to the world of conservation,” she recalls. “It was then I decided that I needed to fight to keep incredible species and habitats thriving. Later, in graduate school, I discovered the fascinating dynamics of water ecosystems and the incredible creatures living right in our backyard. Along my journey at American Rivers, I learned about river restoration and the impacts of dams on both natural and human communities. I realized I could help both people and wildlife become more resilient — and maybe get to legally blow something up from time to time!”

Defining moments: why this work matters
Tiny eels taught Jessie about persistence. “During my first hardhat experience at the Harvell Dam removal on the Appomattox River, I watched tiny eels squirming through construction debris, determined to move upstream,” she recalls. “Nearly a decade later, after removing Bloede Dam, Maryland officials documented tens of thousands of eels using a ladder at Daniels Dam upstream — compared to just a handful before. These resilient creatures, so determined to reach their destination, remind me to keep moving around hurdles and never give up.”

Corinne Butler, Program Director

Corinne combines her expertise in ecology with a deep commitment to environmental justice, ensuring conservation efforts benefit all communities. Her experience in field research, community organizing, and project management helps strengthen connections between rivers and the people who depend on them.

Where it all began
For Corinne, her connection to environmentalism formed in a college class that introduced the concept of the environment’s impact on human health and health disparities. What began as a pivot from chemistry to environmental science evolved into a deeper mission — understanding the intersection of environmental justice and conservation. “I have been drawn to this work to make meaningful change in the world,” she shares.

Defining moments: why this work matters
On each restored river, Corinne sees a community transformed. “Working alongside experienced leaders in the field, I’ve witnessed how restoration creates meaningful change,” she shares. “These projects create opportunities for people to connect with nature, especially in areas that have historically lacked access. That’s exactly why I do this work.”

These four stories remind us that every river champion starts with a moment of connection — what is yours?

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Here’s why urban rivers matter

Consider this: More than 80 percent of people in our country live in cities, and most of us live within a mile of a river. Yet many urban rivers and streams are unhealthy and polluted. They’ve been paved over and used as dumping grounds. This means a large portion of our population lacks access to clean, natural places crucial for health and wellness. Plus, polluted rivers don’t just impact their immediate surroundings — they impact entire ecosystems and communities downstream. In any interconnected system, damage to one part ripples throughout the rest.

Further complicating matters, most of our cities were built for weather patterns and populations of the past. Our infrastructure cannot handle the escalating flooding, sewage spills, and water pollution of today — let alone into the future, as climate change increases the frequency and severity of storms in many areas. These issues deeply impact Communities of Color, who have been excluded from decision-making processes and denied access to resources. Access to clean, reliable water and nature shouldn’t be a privilege — it’s a basic need for everyone.

To meet these challenges, we need to connect people to their rivers, rebuild our water infrastructure, making our communities more resilient and equitable. And we need to transform our cities into healthy, integrated parts of whole river systems.

So, what makes a River City?

A River City has thriving communities connected to its rivers, creeks, and streams. Clean water supports healthy people and healthy urban wildlife, flowing freely through a visible, above-ground river network with floodplains that allow water to spread out safely without risk to property or lives. The stream network is safe and accessible. Communities steward their resource and are engaged and leaders in issues related to water access and governance.

Over the past 25 years, we’ve worked with community leaders, water utilities, and city and community leaders in places like Milwaukee, Toledo, Tucson, Atlanta, and Grand Rapids — and we’ve learned invaluable lessons along the way.

Here are five criteria River Cities strive for:

• Clean: Healthy, clean waters flow through communities without trash or sewage, benefiting people and wildlife that rely on riverside habitats.
• Free: Creeks and streams flow freely without obstruction from dams, pipes, and fences.
• Safe: Communities have reduced flood risk and people feel safe visiting their local rivers.
• Fun: People have thriving natural places to enjoy in ways that are relevant to them, their friends, and family.
• For everyone: All communities have access to the benefits of healthy rivers and clean water, especially Communities of Color that do not have equitable access to nature and rivers. It also means that everyone is part of the decision-making about water and rivers in their cities.

From hidden to thriving — our work in Grand Rapids

Let’s explore what happens in a River City, using our work in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as an example.

STAGE 1: Discovery

To connect to a place, people must first discover the place. In Grand Rapids, after a series of intense storms, the city’s stormwater-management department went door to door in the Plaster Creek neighborhood, which lies near the most polluted creek in the Grand River watershed, to educate residents about issues with erosion and outdated infrastructure. The community was relieved to learn that there were solutions to the problem and was ready to work with the city to address the issues.  

STAGE 2 Imagination

Once people are aware of their waterways, it’s time to envision. American Rivers’ local partners in Grand Rapids provided watershed education — and communities set priorities for greening their neighborhoods to improve the health of their creek.

STAGE 3: Momentum

This is where tangible progress begins. In Grand Rapids, a group of local nonprofits worked alongside community leaders to plan, design, and implement a set of “rainscaping” projects, such as rain gardens, bioswales, and native plants and trees, to mitigate flooding and improve the health of their urban creek. American Rivers, working with the city and local partners, created an innovative, market-based approach to incentivize private-property owners to install green infrastructure on their properties. 

STAGE 4: Thriving

The final stage ensures long-term success can take root and flourish through community leadership. American Rivers is leading a group of local community leaders and nonprofits – including the West Michigan Environmental Action Council, Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds, and Plaster Creek Stewards – to advocate for community needs, develop shared priorities, and work with city to fund and implement priority projects.

A river city renaissance

Whether by addressing pollution and flooding, improving access to nearby rivers and streams, or building resilience to climate change, American Rivers and our partners in cities around the country are helping urban communities rediscover and reimagine their relationship with their rivers and water. The next time you walk through your city, consider the hidden streams and rivers that may be beneath your feet. Through dedicated effort and community leadership, transformation of hidden creeks and streams into neighborhood assets that promote health and wellness is not only possible but inevitable.

Are you ready to be part of the River City transformation?

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In addition to broad cuts within the Department of Agriculture, the Forest Service, and the Department of Energy, among other agencies, there are specific changes called out that will have significant repercussions for rivers.

1. Within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it suggests eliminating the

• Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights
• Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance
• Office of Public Engagement of Environmental Affairs

The plan also recommends to “review grant programs to ensure that taxpayer funds go to organizations focused on tangible environmental improvements free from political affiliation.” Project 2025 also recommends a “day one executive order” to stop all grants to advocacy groups. And on water specifically, Project 2025 recommends codifying a “navigable water” clause to “respect private property rights.”

What this means for rivers: This means that federal funding currently going to conservation organizations, like American Rivers or those on the ground removing dams to restore rivers, could be held up or eliminated. Weakening federal safeguards for clean water means that it will be up to the states to decide, meaning access to clean water will be depend on the politics of one’s state, not necessarily what is needed for healthy communities or ecosystems. And because rivers don’t stop at state borders, pollution could increase everywhere. Many federal safeguards currently in place to protect rivers and clean water, especially in communities that have traditionally been under-served due to their race, cultural, or income makeup, will no longer be enforced.

2. Project 2025 suggests lifting the ban on fossil fuel extraction on federal lands, which would put countless miles of rivers and streams at risk.

What this means for rivers: Putting climate change concerns aside for the moment, with any new fossil fuel extraction, the risk of accidents, leaks, and spills goes up considerably. And as we have seen numerous times before, one accident can damage a river and clean water supplies for decades. Further, the headwaters of many rivers in the U.S. are found on national public land. More pollution, means more risk to the literal places where rivers are born, and that will have impacts to everyone who uses it as a water source.

3. Project 2025 calls for the dismantling of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by moving some responsibilities to other agencies and privatizing other duties. The National Marine Fisheries Service would be streamlined and some duties transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the “America the Beautiful” and “30×30” programs withdrawn.

What this means for rivers: The NOAA website says it best:

“From daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration and supporting marine commerce, NOAA’s products and services support economic vitality and affect more than one-third of America’s gross domestic product. NOAA’s dedicated scientists use cutting-edge research and high-tech instrumentation to provide citizens, planners, emergency managers and other decision makers with reliable information they need, when they need it.”

Without a central agency monitoring our climate and weather, and informing the many parts of our government that need that data, we run the risk of being unprepared for the next hurricane, storm, flood, or drought. We already know that climate change impacts every drop of water in our lives. Ignoring this fact threatens our safety and way of life on Earth.

4. With the Department of Energy (DOE), Project 2025 reinforces support for fossil fuels by encouraging more extraction and streamlining public safeguards.

What this means for rivers: We already know that a reliance on fossil fuels will continue to warm our world and intensify floods and droughts. With more drilling and fewer safeguards, threats to rivers and their wildlife and communities will increase.

5. The plan recommends moving the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the Department of Interior or Department of Transportation, and suggests phasing out programs like the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to private insurance. Disaster preparedness grants would be changed to only go to states – NGOs, Tribal governments, and localities would need to go through State governments for funds.

What this means for rivers: As floods become more frequent and severe, FEMA and the resources it provides become more and more vital. Moving these critical emergency response tools away from an agency that already has the national infrastructure set up to respond when needed would be unnecessarily putting lives at risk. Eliminating federal support programs in favor of state or — even worse — private, control, assures the same vulnerable communities that historically have suffered the most will continue to be under-served, and will have a harder time recovering from the next disaster.

Interested in doing more for rivers? Download our election guide to better understand the threats rivers face in this election. Or join us right now in taking action for clean water by asking Congress to increase federal protections for all streams and wetlands. This is our chance to make a difference!

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“There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns.” -Octavia Butler

It is not breaking news that communities of color (regardless of wealth) are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and specifically more vulnerable to flooding (Natural Hazards Center, 2020). It is also not news that the legacy of formal policies that forced communities of color, specifically Black Americans, to live in flood-prone areas persists today (Redfin, 2021). These policies manifest daily for black and brown communities through the lived experience of disproportionate environmental burdens, and increased risk of hazards associated with flooding. Yet, too often well-meaning floodplain managers, conservationists, and policymakers advance flood risk reduction projects that displace people of color and drain intergenerational wealth. 

So how do we transform the landscape of floodplain decision-making, planning, and policy? How do we create bridges between policymakers and the community members who are the most impacted? How do we generate meaningful dialogue, partnerships rooted in place, and actionable change where it is needed most?

Centering communities of color means learning from communities of color. There is a long and well documented history of failed regulatory support for black and brown communities. Despite this, communities of color have a rich history of success in transforming their own conditions (NRDC, 2022). Still, community organizers need support.  

In April 2023, American Rivers partnered with the Illinois NAACP, Watertown Community Empowerment Organization, and United Congregations of Metro East to form the Illinois Floodplain Community Justice Network (IFCJN). This network formed as a direct result of the Illinois Floodplains Work: A Feasibility Study which made clear that flood-prone communities of color in Illinois have not been served well by their local governments, and illuminated the need for community organizers to augment the efforts of local floodplain managers, Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The IFCJN organizes people by connecting flood-prone communities to share knowledge, information, and resources. Our nascent network offers training and guidance on flood issues,  engages residents in the process of updating their Flood Insurance Rate Maps, and provides guidance on how to influence local Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans. Lastly, the IFCJN influences planning and policy by advocating for policies that center the needs of communities of color in planning and decision-making as it relates to flood issues.  

Centering communities of color in decision-making for floodplain management enables more equitable and effective projects to reduce flooding in the face of climate change. We are hopeful that this network will serve as a model for future partnerships nationally.

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The Administration announced these new goals at a Water Summit held at the White House that brought together roughly 100 inaugural signatories to the Freshwater Partnership, a collaboration of mayors, tribal leaders, state representatives, philanthropists, and members of the conservation community, including American Rivers. The Summit dug into the meaty freshwater issues facing communities that rely on the Mississippi, the Hudson, the Great Lakes, the Columbia, and the Klamath. I was fortunate to participate on behalf of American Rivers and was blown away by the collective vision, passion and commitment shown by the Administration and participants. The shear scale of what the Biden Administration and communities are doing to invest in and protect clean water nationwide was an inspiration. 

Not surprisingly, the Summit included very strong Tribal representation, including members of the Confederated Tribes of Warms Springs in Oregon, the Yurok from California, and the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. At the outset Chairman Gerry Lewis of the Yakama Nation led the Summit in a tribal prayer and reminded us that water is life, a “first food” worthy of the highest honor in their ceremonies honoring the Creator. The Chairman noted that the Yakama Nation has already been working hard to meet ambitious conservation goals, having protected over 2,000 miles of rivers, 14,000 acres of wetlands, and reestablished connectivity for 200 miles of rivers through barrier removal. 

There was also a number of mayors from Louisiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York who participated in the Summit and spoke about the ways they are working on the front lines of the fight to protect nature and put federal infrastructure funding to work to provide access to clean water for all Americans. Mayor Torrance Harvey from Newburgh, New York, 60 miles north of New York City, spoke eloquently about the importance of access to clean water as not only a public health issue, but also as a public safety issue. We should invest in clean water like we invest in other public safety needs, such as firefighting or law enforcement, since it too is a fundamental aspect of our community’s well-being. 

Two young river leaders, Keeya Wiki and Ruby Rain Williams from the Klamath River Basin in northern California, stole the show with their impassioned plea for why we must act to protect rivers and support youth involvement in the outdoors. With leaders like the two of them the future of river conservation is in good hands.

Safe to say I was incredibly inspired by all of these speakers and thrilled to participate in this unprecedented event kicking off the Administration’s expanded commitment to freshwater protection nationwide.  The Summit really reflected the full array of conservation and investments needed to meet the biodiversity, climate, and cultural crises that face us all.  Along with all the mayors and Tribes who attend the Summit, American Rivers is committed to doing whatever is necessary to achieving these freshwater conservation goals and ensuring clean water for all.    

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