Blog

River Hero Spotlight: Amanda Pitzer Continues a Legacy

by Carly Schmidt
Music while you're reading: The Way Things Are from West Virginia Serenade by Keith & Joan Pitzer Listen here. Ten years ago, we lost a remarkable person and a powerhouse in the water protector community. Keith Pitzer, executive director of Friends of the Cheat, was awarded the River Hero award posthumously in 2010. Keith believed in River... Read More ›

Centering Equity: River Network’s Drinking Water Guide

by Sheyda Esnaashari
Water Equity: What Does It Mean? The US Water Alliance defines water equity as the point at which “all communities have access to safe, clean, affordable drinking water and wastewater services; are resilient in the face of floods, drought, and other climate risks; have a role in decision-making processes related to water management in their... Read More ›

¡Guía de Agua Potable – En Español!

by Diana Toledo
Click here to read this story in English. Mi trabajo en el ámbito de la conservación siempre se ha inspirado en la intersección del agua y las personas: la conservación y la comunidad. Una experiencia clave que marcó mi carrera y que me llevó a unirme al movimiento de protección del agua fue la que... Read More ›

Drinking Water Guide – In Spanish!

by Diana Toledo

Presione aqui para leer este articulo en Español. My work on water has always been inspired by the intersection of water and people – conservation and community. The catalyst for joining the water movement was my experience living in Moncion, Dominican Republic in the mid-1990s and witnessing the direct impact of a dam that caused… Read More ›

Water and Equity in Latinx Communities: Ixchel’s Approach

by Diana Toledo
Photo courtesy of Peter Means, Virginia Tech.

The communities of Cicero (population 83,000) and Berwyn (population 56,000), two western Chicago suburbs, are majority Latinx – 90% and 63% respectively – and low-income. They are also both the focus of Ixchel, a grassroots organization whose mission is to, “cultivate grassroots leaders to dismantle structural racism for racial equity in education and environmental justice… Read More ›

State and Tribal Ability to Protect Clean Water Under Threat – Comment Now

by Katherine Baer
Recently, the state of Minnesota denied a permit for a Canadian oil pipeline planned to cross the state. The state environmental agency, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), denied the permit because they needed more information to determine if the proposed 340-mile pipeline would meet state water quality standards. Specifically, MPCA was seeking information on... Read More ›

Impacts from Project Rain Barrel’s 2018-2019 Season

by Amy Boal
This summer River Network—thanks to support from the Coca-Cola Foundation—wrapped up our 2018-2019 Project Rain Barrel season. Through programs like this, business partners and sponsors support community-based solutions for cleaner water and healthier rivers, empowering local groups to protect and conserve water in their communities. The 54 Project Rain Barrel workshops that took place between... Read More ›

River Network Staff Reflections to Mark World Rivers Day 2019

by Amy Boal
On September 22, 2019, the world marks the 15th annual World Rivers Day. This year, the theme is "waterways in our communities." The River Network staff is spread across the nation, much like the over 6,000 groups, Indigenous communities, and government agencies working at local, state, and regional levels to protect and restore rivers and... Read More ›

Connecting Local Stakeholders for Inclusive Planning on the Yampa River

by Amy Boal
Paddling on the Yampa River. Photo courtesy Kent Vertrees, Friends of the Yampa.
The Yampa River in northwest Colorado is a rare gem, as it is the only major Colorado River tributary without a large dam, flowing free for almost 300 miles through primarily federal, state, and private ranch lands. The river has high overall health and plays a vital role in sustaining endangered fish species with some... Read More ›

Climate Science for All: NNOCCI Strategies to Improve Climate Communications

by Kait Birghenthal
Kait Birghenthal, Conservation Educator & NNOCCI Governing Council Member
Fight, flight, or freeze: these are human’s three natural reactions to encountering a perceived threat. But what if the threat was amorphous, seemingly far off, and highly misunderstood? How might we react then? As demonstrated by the FrameWorks Institute in their ‘on the street’ climate interviews—see The Value of Explanation research report—the majority of US Citizens demonstrate... Read More ›

Idea Exchanges Join the River Rally Program

by Amy Boal

River Rally 2019 featured the first Idea Exchanges: unique opportunities for attendees to connect during River Rally and beyond, to build their knowledge and network related to specific issues their communities may be facing. Skilled facilitators led structured conversations around Civic Engagement and four key issues: Safe, Clean, and Affordable Drinking Water; Water Laws and… Read More ›