We Are Rivers

We're joined this week by author and urban planner Hannah Palmer on a journey to find the Flint river in Atlanta, Georgia. Like so many urban rivers, the Flint is hardly recognizable as a river, at least at it's headwaters beneath the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Through an effort called “Finding the Flint”, Hannah is working to bring the river back to the surface, both in terms of how it flows, and its role in people's lives. This story of the Flint River isn't unique, and as is so often the case, the way we treat our rivers is the way we treat our communities, and the long-term health and viability of the two are inextricably linked. We hope you'll tune in. NOTES: http://hannahspalmer.com/flightpath

Tune in to learn more about the magical monsoon phenomenon that has so many of us awed. We talk to Dr.Connie Woodhouse, a professor in the school of geography, development and environment at the University of Arizona, and to John Fleck, director of The University of New Mexico's Water Resources Program. We cover some of what we know about the monsoon, what we don't, how it can't save us from a warmer and drier future, and how in some ways, maybe it can. Join us! John Fleck's book (which he co-authored with Eric Kuhn) "Science be Dammed": https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780816540051?aff=jfleck

In a previous episode of "We Are Rivers", climate scientist Brad Udall said "You can't depress people into action". In this episode, our guest Amy McCoy is working to inspire us into action through a report she authored along with her partner, Season Martin, Culp & Kelly, and a whole host of other collaborators and contributors. The report outlines 10 bold strategies to increase climate resilience in the Colorado Basin, and Amy walks us through how the strategies were identified, and what they mean for our future. NOTES: Ten Strategies for Climate Resilience in the CO Basin: https://www.tenstrategies.net/

In this, our latest episode of We Are Rivers, we talk beavers and killer whales, poop sniffing dogs, and the inextricable link between wildlife, biodiversity, and healthy rivers. And, we imagine how we might translate this level of integrated understanding to policies and practices that govern rivers. This is the first of a two-part series. Join us! NOTES: Denielle Perry, Free Flowing Rivers Lab Free-flowing Rivers Lab https://denielleperry.com/research/ https://riverfieldstudies.com/ www.naustudentwatersymposium.com Deborah Giles, University of Washington and https://www.washington.edu/news/people/deborah-giles/ https://www.wildorca.org/team/ Mark Beardsley Ecometrics (Mark's company): https://www.ecometricscolorado.net/ The Beaver Believers: https://www.thebeaverbelievers.com/filmmakers Eager: The Suprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter https://www.bengoldfarb.com/eager Enos Mills, In Beaver World Emily Fairfax, research, “Smokey the Beaver: beaver-dammed riparian corridors stay green during wildfire throughout western United States”

Jocelyn Gibbon is a river guide, and she’s also a water law and policy expert. When she isn’t guiding trips through the Grand Canyon, Jocelyn is a consultant for non-profits and other groups navigating the complex water world in Arizona and the Colorado River Basin. We embrace Jocelyn’s multiple talents to cover Arizona’s lesser-known rivers, the beauty of the grand canyon and the joys of guiding, and we get into the nitty gritty of water management, and lack thereof, for groundwater in Arizona. Tune in to learn more about the precipice Arizona is perched on, and what you can do about it. Learn more: Water for Arizona Coalition: https://www.waterforarizona.com/ Jocelyn Gibbon, Freshwater Policy Consulting: https://freshwaterpolicy.com/about/

In mid-April, American Rivers released the 2021 list of the country’s Most Endangered Rivers. The event was the culmination of a year’s worth of work inviting nominations and vetting rivers. It is, above all, an important opportunity to call attention to struggling rivers that are in need of our help, and highlighting rivers where there’s an action we can take to make a difference in their fate. Tune in to learn about this year's #1 Most Endangered River, and what you can do about it.

In our latest episode of the “We are Rivers” podcast, Pastores Juan and Rocio Almanza talk to us about the connection between faith and rivers. In this bilingual podcast, we learn about how Pastor Juan Almanza and Pastora Mary Rocio Cañas see stewardship as integral to their faith, and what that means for how they lead and serve. As Pastores at Centro De Adoración Familiar in Las Vegas, we learn about their work with the Hispanic Access Foundation to host events as part of Latino Conservation Week, and to connect their congregation and community with oceans and rivers through “Heartwired” activities. This podcast was developed in partnership with the Hispanic Access Foundation. Photo Credit: Juan and Rocio Almanza

In this, our latest episode of the We Are Rivers Podcast, we learn about American River’s top priorities for the Biden-Harris administration. From investing in clean water to removing dams and providing renewed support for the Wild and Scenic River Act, we turn to our resident experts to learn about short and long term actions the new administration can take to improve the health and long-term resilience of the rivers we love, and the communities that rely on them. Listen in today! Photo Credit: Brandon Parsons, South Platte River, Denver CO

Water Justice: what is it? In this episode, we talk with two experts in the field of environmental justice, Alicia Smith, Associate Director for Policy and Community Engagement Director at Freshwater Future and Kelsea Macilroy, instructor and PhD Candidate in the Sociology Department at Colorado State University. We discuss the different facets of environmental justice, examine injustices surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlight the importance of clean, accessible water for public health. Alicia and Kelsea share salient examples of the challenges communities are facing when it comes to water justice, and the ways that they're engaging in solutions-oriented, participatory democracy to map a path forward. This episode was created with our partners at Water Education Colorado. Join us on We Are Rivers for this critical conversation about the confluence of environmental justice and water equity. Photo Credit: Shoelace Park on the Bronx River, NY; Charles R Berenguer Jr

In 2020, we learned about Stream Management Planning efforts in the Colorado Basin, conservation happening in Latino communities, the relationship between the Waccamaw Indian People and the river, and Colorado's in-stream flow program. Tune in to this episode for a sneak preview of the 2021 podcast series, learn about our new publishing schedule, and to get acquainted with your co-hosts, Fay Hartman and Page Buono. Photo Credit: Colorado River in Fruita, Colorado, Sinjin Eberle

Through displacement, genocide and enslavement, the Waccamaw Indian People sustain their river heritage. Join us today to learn more about the Waccamaw Indian People and their history with the Waccamaw River in coastal South Carolina. For the Waccamaw Indian People, layers of oppression eroded the relationship between people and the river they relied on and that coursed through their history, culture, and being. But the impacts of that displacement don’t just live in the past, and it is essential that the connection the Waccamaw Indian People have with the river is strengthened and reestablished for the future of their communities, and for the future of the Waccamaw River. Photo Credit: Cheryl Sievers-Cail and Chief Hatcher of the Waccamaw Indian People, Courtesy of Cheryl Sievers-Cail

Across the country, cities and towns are rallying around forgotten areas of their communities - including rivers, creeks, open spaces and community parks. These areas are being rehabilitated and restored so locals and tourists alike can enjoy the many benefits they provide. In Austin, Texas, community members in East Austin came together to restore a forgotten creekside park - what has become Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt. Join us today to learn about the community driven process to undertake a master plan effort and create a new vision for The Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt. Photo Credit: Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt, Gibran Lule-Hurtado

In the second of this two-part podcast, we are joined by our partners at the Hispanic Access Foundation for a conversation about the importance of water - including rivers, lakes and oceans – to the Latino community. We dive deeper into stories and personal connections to water from members of the Ocean’s Advisory Committee. While unique, these stories weave through similar themes, and encourage us to further examine the way water links us to place, to home, and to family. Most of all, these inspiring stories remind us how those critical connections to water compel us to fight for its protection. Photo Credit: Hispanic Access Foundation

Join us for a miniseries of We Are Rivers: Conversations about the Rivers that Connect Us. In this two-part conversation we are joined by our partners at the Hispanic Access Foundation for a conversation about the importance of water - including rivers, lakes and oceans – to the Latinx community. The first episode dives into the Hispanic Access Foundations’ work to engage Latino communities in river and ocean conservation, and the role personal connections to water play in inspiring the work of the Foundation. We hear about Latino Conservation Week and the ocean conservation work the Hispanic Access Foundation is spearheading, as well as some great personal stories from members of the Hispanic Access Foundation's Oceans Advisory Council. Tune in today! Photo Credit: Vamos A Pescar event in Richmond, Virginia, photo taken by Jessica Godinez, Hispanic Access Foundation

Join us for a two-part miniseries of We Are Rivers. We’ll learn more about Colorado's Stream Management Plans, an innovative planning tool prioritized in Colorado’s Water Plan, from people working with stakeholder groups and communities across Colorado to put them in place. If you were inspired by the first Episode, make sure to tune in today. In the second episode, we hear from some of the same voices and from new ones from the Rio Grande Basin – including Heather Dutton with the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District and Emma Reesor with Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project – about the groundbreaking and inspiring ways communities are working together to plan for the future of the rivers and streams that bind them, and all of us, together. Listen in and join us today! Photo Credit: Daniel Boyes, Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project

Join us for a two-part miniseries of We Are Rivers. We’ll learn more about Colorado's Stream Management Plans, an innovative planning tool prioritized in Colorado’s Water Plan, from people working with stakeholder groups and communities across Colorado to put them in place. In the first episode of this miniseries, we hear from Nicole Seltzer, Science and Policy Manager of River Network, who talks us through the fundamentals of the stream management planning process. Holly Loff, Executive Director of Eagle River Watershed Council, shares on-the-ground experiences of a community planning effort along the Eagle River, and Chelsea Congdon-Brundige, a watershed consultant in the Roaring Fork Valley, shares her highlights from a similar but unique effort for the Crystal River. Listen in and join us today! Photo Credit: Eagle River Watershed Council

In Episode 26 of We Are Rivers, we take a deeper look at the National Wildlife Refuge System and why it is so important to health of America’s natural resources. We explore the many benefits that the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge provide for human and natural communities in coastal South Carolina and why the minor boundary modification of Refuge was critical in ensuring that these benefits are preserved for future generations. Tune in today! Photo Credit: Waccamaw River, Mac Stone

America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2020 spotlights why our communities need clean water and healthy rivers now, more than ever. This year’s list highlights how climate change is threatening communities with increasingly severe flooding. Across the country communities are experiencing unprecedented challenges related to too much water at the wrong time. In the Midwest, we have a recipe for disaster, where poor river management is colliding with the reality of climate change. Right now, communities are stretched dangerously thin by the covid-19 pandemic, and the virus is exposing the vulnerabilities and dangers that come with relying on outdated flood control approaches. It’s time for our leaders to embrace proven solutions that protect river health, improve public safety and strengthen communities. Join us today on We Are Rivers to learn about America’s #1 Most Endangered River for 2020 and the solutions that can help move our rivers and our nation forward. Visit at www.AmericanRivers.org/EndangeredRivers Photo Credit: Mississippi River through St. Louis, Bryan Werner

Join us for Episode 24 where we dive into Colorado's Instream Flow Program, a critical tool to protect and enhance river flows across the state of Colorado. In this episode we break down the complexities of the program, discuss the different tools that make up the Instream Flow Program, explore the program's benefits and understand the collaborative nature of the program. Photo Credit: Yampa River through the City of Steamboat Springs, City of Steamboat

In 1979, Mark Dubois chained himself to a boulder to protest filling of the reservoir behind the New Melones Dam that would drown California’s Stanislaus River. In episode 23 of the We Are Rivers podcast, listen to Mark share his story and lessons on saving beloved places. We also hear from Craig Tucker on the Klamath River, which promises to be one of the most significant dam removal and river restoration projects the world has seen. Photo Credit: Klamath River, Josh Miller

Join us for Episode 22 of We Are Rivers – Climate Change Part 2: Climate Change is Water Change. In this episode we expand on our learnings from Part 1 of the climate change series (episode 21) and discuss the impacts of climate change to the southwest, particularly in the Colorado River Basin. We know the impacts of climate change will affect all corners of the globe, and places like the southwest and the Colorado River Basin that are already dry will experience increased vulnerability in the form of higher temperatures, variable precipitation, earlier runoff, more intense wildfires and punctuated flooding events. These events will only intensify over time and will vary depend on the specific location within the region – some areas will get hotter and drier while other will experience more precipitation in the winter months. As Brad Udall says in the podcast, in the Colorado River Basin, climate change is water change. Join us to learn more about how climate change has and will continue to affect the southwest. Photo Credit: Colleen Miniuk, Desert landscape near Channel Island at the head of Virgin Canyon in Lake Mead in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Join us for Episode 21 of We Are Rivers – Climate Change Part 1: Understanding the Science. In this episode we back-up broad-based knowledge about climate change with scientific explanations and address some questions from you about some of the impacts of climate change. Climate change is happening all around us, and it’s our responsibility to understand how and why we are experiencing these effects and the role humans have. Join us in this episode of We Are Rivers, as Brad Udall, climate scientist, explains climate change and addresses some common questions about our changing climate. From the concepts and questions covered in this podcast episode, you will gain greater understanding and insight about how this broadly-accepted scientific understanding is creating challenges for communities, economies, and ecosystems all around the world. Join us for Episode 21 as we discover the science behind what is increasingly happening all around us. Photo Credit: NOAA, Maps of Observed trend in temperature from 1900 to 2012 from 2014 Climate Assessment

Eighty percent of Americans live in cities. In Episode 20 of We Are Rivers, we talk with Majora Carter, co-founder of the Bronx River Alliance, and Jenny Hoffner with American Rivers about why restoring and celebrating urban rivers is so important. Tune in to learn more about the renewed connection local communities have with the Bronx River in New York and the Flint River in Georgia. Photo Credit: Bronx River, Charles R Berenguer, Jr

In Episode 4 of Ripple Effects we highlight Steamboat Springs, where like many other communities in Colorado understand the importance of a healthy, flowing rivers for the city and its residents. Tune in today to learn more about the connection Steamboat has with their local river, the Yampa and its many tributaries. Ripple Effects is a sub-series of American Rivers’ podcast We Are Rivers, focusing on the connections local communities have with their rivers. Photo Credit: Tubing on the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs, City of Steamboat

In Episode 3 of Ripple Effects we highlight Eagle County. Residents understand the importance of a healthy, flowing rivers for their communities in the Eagle and Roaring Fork Valleys. Tune in today to learn more about the connection Eagle County has with their local rivers including the Eagle, Upper Colorado, Roaring Fork and Frying Pan Rivers. Ripple Effects is a sub-series of American Rivers’ podcast We Are Rivers, focusing on the connections local communities have with their rivers. Photo Credit: Colorado River Ranch, Colorado River, Ken Neubecker

The story of the Green is, in a word, complicated. There are many different uses and user groups who depend on the Green River. Telling the complicated tale of the Green River – including its past, present and future is a daunting task. Despite these challenges, Heather Hansman, environmental reporter and former raft guide, felt a unique pull to tell the story of the river from the seat of her packraft - its threats, opportunities and the intersection with its many users. In the summer of 2017, Heather paddled the entirety of the Green River, headwaters to confluence, providing a front row seat to how the Green moves, meanders, and provides. Earlier this spring Heather’s new book, Downriver, made its way to bookshelves and kindles across the country. Downriver tells the story of the Green River, the challenges and opportunities facing the river and the many communities and user groups that depend on its water from its source to the confluence with the Colorado River. Join me us on this episode as we talk with Heather and learn more about the importance of the Green River and why she chose to explore and write about the Colorado’s most significant tributary.

Climate change hits rivers and water first and hardest, impacting all communities but particularly historically marginalized communities who, as a result of generations of discrimination, are often located in floodplains, drained wetlands, or adjacent to sewage outfalls. The impacts of climate change exacerbate the other injustices that these communities face and will only grow worse over time. It’s important that when we talk about climate change, it isn’t just about charts and numbers but also environmental justice. American Rivers believes everyone should have clean water and a healthy river. A significant portion of our nation’s drinking water comes from rivers, and we must do more to protect them from the impacts of climate change. Across the country, communities are experiencing shifts and variability in weather and climate such as increased droughts, more severe floods and serious water quality issues from rising water temperatures and algal blooms. While all communities feel the impacts of climate change, historically marginalized communities often experience the brunt of the challenges. Tackling the issues of climate justice and climate change is a complicated and daunting task. But there are solutions to help communities adapt to a changing climate. At the national, state and local levels communities and stakeholders are coming together to identify innovative and collaborative solutions. In the face of many challenges, there is much to be hopeful for and inspired by. Join us today on Episode 18 of We Are Rivers as we hear from Dr. Robert Bullard and Chris Williams who discuss climate change and climate justice, and what it means for people, rivers and the environment. Photo Credit: Liz Bell, ednc.org

This year, the America’s Most Endangered Rivers® report spotlights the threat that climate change poses to rivers, clean water supplies, public safety and communities nationwide. This year we are using America’s Most Endangered Rivers to not only call for action on the 10 listed rivers but also to spotlight how climate change is threatening all of our rivers. We want to help drive urgency around stopping climate change, and, we want to advance efforts to protect and restore rivers, which strengthens communities in the face of climate impacts. Join us today on We Are Rivers to learn more about the big decisions facing a rivers and communities in 2019 and what you can do to help them. Learn more about the rivers, the issues facing them and what we can do to help at www.AmericanRivers.org/EndangeredRivers2019. Photo Credit: Cody Bear Sutton - Gila River, New Mexico

For this episode of We Are Rivers, we take a break from understanding the policies that manage and protect our rivers to focus on why it is we care about protecting rivers in the first place. In Episode 16 we hear from two of our listeners: Eliza Stein and Jordana Barack as they share their river stories. The stories of how Eliza Stein and Jordana Barrack became involved in river running, their favorite memories on water, and what they hope to accomplish with water conservation and inclusivity will be featured in this episode. Stories have the power to emotionally relate people to issues and causes, and this relation creates solidarity, this solidarity fosters cooperation, and this cooperation leads to conservation. Join us by listening to Episode 16 of We Are Rivers, The Power of a Story. After you’re done, take a moment and share your story with us as part of our 5,000 Miles of Wild story collection. Photo Credit: Sinjin Eberle, Green River in Desolation Canyon, Utah

Today, we release part 2 of our mini series on the impacts of a Colorado River Compact Call. Building on the content of Episode 14, in Episode 15 we hear again from Jim Lochhead, CEO of Denver Water and Andy Mueller, General Manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District. Episode 15 describes their thoughts about what the Upper Basin States are doing to reduce the risk of a Compact Call. As Lochhead and Mueller describe, Upper Basin Water managers are taking a number of different voluntary approaches to reduce Compact risk, including demand management, a voluntary program that compensates water users on a temporary and voluntary basis to reduce water use and increase deliveries to Lake Powell. This is exciting stuff! After listening to Episode 14, tune in to part two of the mini series, Episode 15 Colorado River Compact Call Part 2 – Reducing the Risks of a Call! *Please note that throughout this episode all referenced reservoir water levels are specific to the time this episode was recorded during the summer of 2018. For updated reservoir levels, you can directly visit a reservoir’s website*

In mid-December, stakeholders from across the Colorado River basin gathered in Las Vegas for the annual Colorado River Water Users Association (CRUWA) conference to discuss happenings within the Colorado River basin. At this year's conference, the focus was on the Drought Contingency Plans (one for the Upper Basin and one for the Lower Basin) which help to deal with the very real possibility of shortages in the water supply of the Colorado River. At CRUWA, both the Upper and Lower Basin States agreed to move forward toward the completion of a Drought Contingency Plan (DCP). The driving force behind the Upper Basin DCP is the need to reduce the increasing risk of a compact driven curtailment or cut to water users in the Upper Basin States. This scenario is also referred to as a “Compact Call”. A Compact Call would occur if the Upper Basin States are unable to deliver the water they are required to deliver under the rules of the 1922 Colorado River Compact to the Lower Basin States. Overuse of water, aridification of the West due to climate change, and growing populations throughout the basin are putting extreme pressure on the Colorado River. Join us for Part 1 of our two part series to learn more about what curtailment or a “Compact Call” on the Colorado River means for people and the environment, how it could happen, and why the DCP is so important. Listen to Jim Lochhead, CEO of Denver Water and Andy Mueller, General Manager of the Colorado River Conservation District discuss what it means for Colorado. Please note that throughout this episode all referenced reservoir water levels are specific to the time this episode was recorded during the summer of 2018. For updated reservoir levels, you can directly visit a reservoir’s website. Photo Credit: Upper Colorado River, Joshua Duplechian - Trout Unlimited

In Episode 2 of Ripple Effects we visit the town of Durango, CO, where like many other communities in Colorado understand the importance of a healthy, flowing river for their community. Tune in today to learn more about the connection Durango has with their local river, the Animas. Ripple Effects is a sub-series of American Rivers’ podcast We Are Rivers, focusing on the connections local communities have with their rivers. Photo Credit: Animas River, Sinjin Eberle

Ripple Effects is a sub-series of American Rivers’ podcast We Are Rivers, focusing on the connections local communities have with their rivers. In Episode 1 of Ripple Effects we visit the town of Montrose, CO, where like many other communities in Colorado understand the importance of a healthy, flowing river for their community. Tune in today to learn more about the connection the City of Montrose has with the Uncompahgre River and the collaborative nature of the river recreation and restoration process the community has engaged in. We invite you to join us in our new We Are Rivers mini series, Ripple Effects, as we hear more about Colorado river towns like Montrose, that have reconnected with their local river experienced the ripple effects that only a local river can provide. Photo Credit: Uncompahgre River, Scott Murphy and the City of Montrose

Over 110 wildfires have burned more than 1.8 million acres this year alone, mostly in the west, and despite the natural reaction to condemn wildfires, many forest types actually need wildfire to regenerate growth and support a healthy density of trees. The problem with today’s massive, newsworthy wildfires is that they are usually unhealthy fires, burning too hot and too fast, destroying everything in their path. From the last 100 years of human enforced fire suppression, the delicate balance of forest regeneration has been disrupted, resulting in catastrophic wildfires that have adverse effects on forests, rural/urban communities, and river health. The health of our rivers and watersheds start with forest heath. Uncharacteristically intense wildfires can change the course a river takes, erode its banks, disrupt biological processes, and fill reservoirs with excess nutrients and sediment. By 2050, Colorado’s fire season is expected to increase by several weeks as the climate further warms, with a potentially dramatic increase in total area burned. With post fire damages ranging from destroyed communities and business closures to loss of natural resources and poor water quality, studies have found that the costs associated with preemptively making forests healthy, and thus less susceptible to fire, are far less costly than post-fire damages. For all these reasons and more, it’s important that all western states develop a strategic plan, like Colorado’s Water Plan, to directly address forest health. Western states must cooperate and align their forest health objectives, as wildfires do not pay attention to geopolitical boundaries. Join us for this episode of “We Are Rivers” to explore how fire suppression has triggered today’s newsworthy mega-fires and how intricately connected wildfires are with the health of the rivers we love. Photo Credit: Dom Paulo (Flicker CC), 416 fire outside of Durango, CO

Water in the west is inherently complicated. A complex web of laws, compacts, and a little thing called “prior appropriation” dictates how and when people and entities are allowed to use water in the west, such as cities and towns, farms and ranches, and industry. If the words “water rights” leaves you scratching your head, and you call a western state your home, you are impacted by them. There’s a fairly high chance that you use water connected to a water right, (unless you have your own well or diversion). Municipalities, agriculture, industry, and even our rivers and streams all depend on the legal structure managing our water. Join us in this month’s episode of We Are Rivers as we navigate through the complicated nature of water law in the West, including prior appropriation, instream flow rights, and the history of water law in the west. Photo Credit: Josh Duplechian

In this episode of We Are Rivers, we explore the ideas and efforts behind expanded demand management and increased conservation across the Upper Basin with Scott Yates of Trout Unlimited and Taylor Hawes of The Nature Conservancy, both of whom are deeply integrated into the nuance and detail of developing a system that works for everyone who relies on the Colorado River, as well as the long-term, sustainable health of the Colorado River itself. Photo Credit: Russ Schnitzer

Arizona is a renowned leader in water management, thanks to more than a century of careful planning and effective leadership. But, with drought and declining water levels in the state’s key water supplies, Arizona must do more. Tune in to “Episode 10: Securing Arizona’s Water Supply is a Team Effort,” to hear how Arizona and other Lower Basin states are working together to reduce demand of the Colorado River through the Drought Contingency Plan. Photo Credit: Sinjin Eberle

In this week’s episode of We Are Rivers, we describe the impact we will make through the 5,000 Miles of Wild® campaign – including the protection of an additional 5,000 river miles and collecting 5,000 of your river stories. Stories cultivate and spread passion: your stories will illustrate the personal and cultural values of rivers to policy makers, and you can help the campaign by posting your own story at www.5000miles.org!

Amidst the largest dam building era in the United States, Congress realized urgency around preserving certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act into law, giving rivers a special designation to protect the remarkable values that free-flowing rivers have across the country. The Act is notable for safeguarding the special character of these rivers, while recognizing the potential for their appropriate use and development. It encourages river management crossing political boundaries and promoting public participation to develop goals for river protection. In this episode of We Are Rivers, we dive into the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and how it protects rivers, ensures community engagement, and preserves free flowing rivers for present and future generations. Tune in to learn more.

As the end of 2017 inches closer, staff at American Rivers reflect on how the past year has been for rivers. The Trump Administration was not kind to rivers or clean water. However, despite the many challenges working against us, staff at American Rivers’, along with our members, supporters, and listener’s just like you have worked diligently over the last 12 months to make our voices heard and ensure rivers across the country are protected. Despite the many challenges rivers and clean water faced in 2017, progress for rivers and clean water prevailed. American Rivers, along with partners and supporters from across the country removed 11 dams, restored over 400 miles of rivers, and removed 2.58 million pounds of trash through our river cleanup program. Communities in North Carolina, Colorado, and California benefited from projects to restore and protect rivers and clean water. As we make our way into 2018, we have the opportunity to do more for rivers and clean water. Listen in to American Rivers' end of year podcast to learn more about what we accomplished in 2017 and what we have to look forward to in 2018. Photo Credit: Russ Schnitzer

In 2015, Colorado took a big first step towards protecting our rivers, heritage, and way of life with the completion of Colorado’s Water Plan. While there is still much to do, the plan creates a framework to help us understand the actions needed to achieve a balance between the water we have and the water we need. Colorado’s Water Plan set a new path towards a secure water future to protect our state’s rivers, secure clean, safe reliable drinking water for our communities, and preserve our agricultural heritage. Now, our water future depends on funding elements of the plan. Episode 6 of We are Rivers dives into the big picture of Colorado's Water Plan. Photo Credit: Russ Schnitzer

Glen Canyon Dam, and by extension the reservoir it creates with Lake Powell, has elicited plenty of opinion and controversy over its 50 years of existence about whether it should be removed, bypassed, or even supported as an integral part of public policy across the Colorado Basin. It’s history and future are central to Colorado River management, as well as healing the scars of environmental tragedy in Glen Canyon. In Episode Five, we explore this issue from a trio of voices, including New York Times Bestselling Author Kevin Fedarko, Glen Canyon Institute President Eric Balken, and American Rivers’ Intermountain West Communications Director Sinjin Eberle.

The Grand Canyon is one of our greatest symbols of the values of wild nature. The canyon represents more than 1.7 billion years of geologic time and is home to wildlife from the bighorn sheep to the endangered humpback chub. Dozens of creeks, springs, and tributaries connect with the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, including the Little Colorado, Kanab Creek, Havasu Creek, and Bright Angel Creek. However, the Grand Canyon is at risk. Threats to the canyon’s seeps, springs, and wildlife include legacy uranium mining claims, the substantial expansion of Tusayan a high desert village, increased air traffic at the lower end of the canyon, and the potential for a gondola shuttling nearly 10,000 people from the rim down to the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers. These threats against the canyon are hard to believe – and while the National Park status does protect it in many ways, substantial risks still exist to the cultural and biological relevance of the confluence, to each of the canyon’s towering rims, to the skies above, and the ancient groundwater below the very surface of the earth. Listen to Episode 4: Beauty and Risk in the Grand Canyon of We Are Rivers today and take action ! Speak up to protect the Grand Canyon today against these and future threats at www.AmericanRivers.org/grandcanyon. Photo Credit: Annemarie Lewis, Confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers

"Turning Towards Solutions" builds upon our previous episode, "Law of the River." Across the Colorado River Basin, collaboration, cooperation, and compromise between towns, districts, states, and basins is a common theme. "Turning Towards Solutions" explores how collaborative actions like the Drought Contingency Plan and Minute 319 (the pulse flow) are creating promise and opportunity for sustaining the Colorado River and the people and communities that depend on it. Tune in to hear about efforts to create a new pathway to preserve both this crucial resource, and the legacy of the entire southwest. Photo Credit: Colorado River Pulse Flow | John Fleck

More than a century ago, populations across the west were booming. The seven states dependent on the Colorado River recognized the need to formally divide it, ensuring everyone received an appropriate amount of water. Ratified in 1922, the Colorado River Compact marked the beginning of how and why the Colorado River is managed as it is today. But the Compact is only one thread in a much larger story. Because the whole basin’s demand for water is higher than what it can supply, the Colorado River has become both one of the most stringently managed, as well as aggressively disputed, rivers in the world. There are numerous other compacts, federal laws, court decisions, decrees, contracts, and guidelines that have been developed since the 1922 compact that dictate the challenging management of the Colorado River; these are collectively known as the "Law of the River.” Photo Credit: Sinjin Eberle

“The Value of Rivers” explores the value rivers have on our environment, economy, and way of life. Rivers contribute so much more than just a beautiful backdrop, they are magnets for biodiversity and life. In the Southwest, 90% of the nation’s winter fruits and vegetables are grown with water diverted from the Colorado River. Additionally, the Colorado River is economically significant with it and its tributaries contributing $1.4 trillion dollar to our economy. This includes $26 billion dollars annually through recreation alone. Join us in this episode of “We Are Rivers,” exploring the incredible value of western rivers.

“We Are Rivers” explores how our rivers are managed, but, more importantly, describes the incredible hope and immense capacity of human innovation to protect and restore rivers. Through “We Are Rivers,” American Rivers, a national river conservation organization, explores stories of rivers, people, and policies so that we may all connect, empathize, understand, and work to save our nation's rivers.