America's Most Endangered Rivers: American Rivers Announces 2025 Annual Listing

The organization American Rivers announced in an April 15th news release its annual list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers.

The organization states that it reviews nominations for America’s Most Endangered Rivers from individuals and organizations across the country.

Rivers are stated to be selected based upon the following criteria:

• A major decision that the public can help influence in the coming year.
• The significance of the river to people and nature.
• The magnitude of threat to the river and its communities.

The ten rivers, along with a brief description of potential factors that are stated to be impacting their health, listed in this 40th annual determination include:

1. Mississippi River: Threatened by FEMA’s uncertain future and role in guiding floodplain protections and maintaining infrastructure that protects river health.
2. Tijuana River: Threatened by out-of-control sewage and chemical pollution.
3. Rivers of Southern Appalachia: Threatened by extreme weather impacts to unsafe dams and federal capacity to help recovery after recent hurricanes.
4. Passaic River: Threatened by historical and rampant industrial pollution.
5. Lower Rio Grande: Threatened by a mega-drought and outdated water management.
6. Rappahannock River: Threatened by declining groundwater levels and a lack of water supply strategy amidst rapid population growth and expanding industries like data centers.
7. Clearwater River Basin: Threatened by loss of 700 miles of Wild and Scenic River candidacy protections.
8. Susitna River: Threatened by road construction, mining and pollution.
9. Calcasieu River: Threatened by toxic and heavy metal pollutants.
10. Gauley River: Threatened by toxic pollution from strip mining for coal in the headwaters.

American Rivers describes itself as a:

…national conservation organization working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife.

A copy of the report can be downloaded here.