American Rivers

Hydropower reform - our hydropower reform work focuses on the reform of hydropower operations throughout the country. While hydropower helps us supply much needed fossil-free energy, it is not without impacts. Hydropower dams block Rivers and can leave several miles of river sections dry. In addition, they block fish passage, alter habitat for aquatic species, damage water quality and harm the overall integrity of the river ecosystems. Through our hydropower reform program, we seek to modernize the operations of hydropower dams to improve their environmental performance using existing regulatory processes. We also seek to improve policies that dictate hydropower licensing and promote responsible hydropower development.

Clean water supply - American Rivers' clean water supply program is committed to ensuring clean and reliable water for communities and the Rivers on which they depend by creating equitable, climate resilient and integrated water management systems in cities across the u.s. we do this by convening and coalescing partners across sectors to adopt nature-based solutions and develop innovative management practices, policies, governance, and funding that helps break down barriers across water agencies and between the agencies and their constituents.

River restoration - the river restoration program brings Rivers back to life by removing dams, replacing culverts, and restoring floodplains through practice, policy, and strategic capacity building. With aging infrastructure and climate change impacts including increased flooding of vulnerable communities, this work is critical to community and ecosystem resilience. Our restoration program works with communities to capitalize on nature's strengths and those of our staff and partners to make a difference for Rivers throughout the u.s. our national and state policy efforts improve the regulatory landscape to allow for more efficient, high quality river restoration work now and in the future. In addition, partnering with federal agencies have the potential to yield strategic high priority restoration initiatives on federal lands across the country.

River protection - American Rivers' river protection work protects free-flowing Rivers and streams, ensures source waters can provide reliable drinking water supplies, and makes more room for the river to address community flooding. Our river protection work is inclusive of the following four initiatives: 1) our wild & scenic designations and campaigns in targeted geographies; 2) source water protection in the form of natural infrastructure, buffers and forest health; 3) river protection funding and financing to support protection efforts and 4) recreation-based protection such as blue trails.