Nation's Most Endangered Rivers Are In California

FRESNO, Calif. — California's two longest rivers have been named the country's most endangered waterways because of outdated water management and poor flood planning, according to an environmental advocacy group.

American Rivers, a conservation group that compiles the annual list, chose the Sacramento and the San Joaquin rivers because their collapse could endanger the water supply of 25 million Californians, flood the state's capital and damage the delicate freshwater delta where the two rivers twine.

"The health of the delta depends directly on maintaining the health of these two rivers that feed it," said Steve Rothert, California director of the Washington-based nonprofit.

The organization chooses its most endangered rivers from nominations made by environmental groups and considers the value of each river to people and the environment, the level of the threat it faces and pending decisions that could affect it in the next year, Rothert said.

But Jerry Johns, deputy director at the Department of Water Resources, said the report did not give adequate consideration to statewide efforts to restore the health of the delta and its two chief tributaries.

Rivers from Pennsylvania to Alaska also made this year's list. Rounding out the top five were Georgia's Flint River, the Lower Snake River that courses through Idaho, Washington and Oregon, Mattawoman Creek in Maryland and the North Fork of the Flathead River in Montana.

One recent political compromise will help restore a now-dry 60-mile stretch of the San Joaquin River.

Last week, President Barack Obama signed a wilderness bill that implements a 2006 legal settlement to bring water and Chinook salmon back to a portion of the state's second-longest river. It provides about $390 million in federal and state funds, as well as fees from water users, over the next decade.

The lawsuit stemmed from the opening of Friant Dam in 1949, which transformed the San Joaquin Valley's main artery from a river thick with salmon into an irrigation source for more than a million acres of farm fields.

Under the 2006 settlement, irrigation districts that distribute river water to thousands of farms agreed to relinquish a set portion of their traditional water supplies to help restore the fish.

Comments

[Gasparilla]

And every time someone suggests limiting immigration, which would help stabilize population, all the phonies at the Sierra Club start charging bigotry.

[billd123]

It is scary how polluted our waterways have become in CA. I read this article at this site www.caivp.org that really showed me what we have to do to make a difference. Read it here: http://caivp.org/article/issues/2009/4/7/so-it-flooding-or-drying

[prettypants]

Two of the lower 48's largest salmon rivers are in the top 3 of America's Most Endangered Rivers. The California salmon fishery has collapsed again this year and the Lower Snake, which feeds the Columbia River is critically endangered. It's time to leave bad politics and federal failure behind and follow the science to create recovery plans for these rivers and the salmon that need them to survive. If we continue to cling tightly to status quo operations, we will lose these iconic fish and the ecosystems, jobs and communities they support. We need President Obama to take the lead now.

American Rivers has set up an action tool to urge elected leaders to help restore these rivers: http://www.americanrivers.org/our-work/protecting-rivers/endangered-rivers/

[JnrNorman]

We dont need big desert solar companies. Thats centralized power. We need solar panels on peoples roofs.
Raymond is right about desert golf.

[Raymond Strand]

Why don't all the geniuses living in a desert stop playing Golf and watering lawns. Or just do us all a favor and move. If you're not willing to adapt to the environment you live in you should move. Don't try to adapt your environment to suit your needs.

The amount of water wasted just in transporting the water to be wasted is reason enough for a mass evacuation of the South West. If people want to continue living there they should have to build a sustainable lifestyle that doesn't drain the rivers of other States and other Countries. I feel sorry for anyone near California and Arizona with a lake or stream, because soon if things keep up their coming for your water.

[sandiegoconservative]

Palm Desert golf courses rule.

[Js420]

neo cons please leave the valley, go back home.

[Gasparilla]

Las Vegas already forbids installation of lawns on new houses and are paying owners of older homes to remove them.

[sandiegoconservative]

My Aunt and Uncle purchased their semi-retirement home in Vegas after living in a house in a community HOA area for many years in Vegas. They participated in a program like this and had Easy Turf, a CA company, install a lawn for them with the money they received and had enough left over to sit in an account to collect interest in case they need repairs or replacement. It is nothing like astro turf. You cannot even tell the difference unless you are paying real close attention, is a natural color and never needs to be cut and watered.

[Tom95134]

Meanwhile, Senator Feinstein introduces legislation that would limit the ability to use desert space to develop solar power systems. You might ask why these are linked. Well, solar energy generating systems based on Solar Towers produce more heat than they can use to generate power. The excess heat can easily be used to desalinate sea water and reduce the demands placed on the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers by Los Angeles and other areas that draw their fresh water from Northern California.