I joined River Network almost 20 years ago when the Clean Water Act was celebrating its 25th year, having endured the full-on attack during the mid-90s by Newt Gingrich and House of Representatives and their proposed “Dirty Water Act.” The watershed community was growing in size and strength–thanks in part to River Network’s first decade of work–and it… Read More ›
As I see the tremendous devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, I am heartbroken for all those who are suffering and I am heartened by all those who are stepping up to help, however they can. The impacted communities have many needs and a lot more support will be required to help them… Read More ›
Originally posted in the Urban Waters Learning Network blog Growing up in Savannah, GA, I always felt a strong tie to water. There was the Savannah River I would see when I would walk down River Street, the many bike rides to the marsh close to my house, and the countless trips to the beach… Read More ›
Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe. Between 1995 and 2015, the United Nations estimated that a staggering 4.1 billion people worldwide were injured, left homeless, or required emergency assistance as a result of weather-related disasters 1. The majority of victims were impacted by flooding, which claims approximately 200 lives each year in the… Read More ›
River Network has worked in the Great Lakes region since 2000, providing valuable capacity building services and exposure to 200 watershed groups. Since 2010, we have used our Organizational Assessment Tool to assess the capacity of individual river and watershed conservation groups in the region. In 2015, thanks to support from the C.S. Mott Foundation,… Read More ›
Here in North Carolina, water levels in streams and rivers are declining. Rapid growth, increased consumptive water use and climate change are all contributing factors that place drinking water supplies at-risk. This mirrors what we found across the Southeast in our report on Protecting and Restoring Flows in this region. Water scarcity now threatens many… Read More ›
This is a guest post by River Network Board Vice-Chair Rebecca Wodder. In his February address to Congress, President Donald Trump promised clean water for all Americans. Why, then, is his administration intent on dismantling protections that cover a third of the nation’s drinking water? Trump has directed the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S…. Read More ›
The Urban Waters Learning Network Awards celebrate Learning Network members making significant achievements toward improving their urban waterways and revitalizing the neighborhoods around them. These members embody the spirit and value of the Learning Network and exemplify the Urban Waters Learning Network’s goal of providing peer-to-peer support, solving challenges through collaboration, and sharing. Award… Read More ›
When we were developing the “Protecting and Restoring Flows in Our Southeastern Rivers: A Synthesis of State Policies for Water Security and Sustainability” report, we went looking for examples of southeast cities that are doing a great job reducing their demand for water. We developed the report to support efforts to protect and restore flows… Read More ›
Eight years ago, Congress invested big-time in infrastructure, including water infrastructure through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Investing in our crumbling water infrastructure creates jobs and generates money throughout the economy. Already, there are the beginnings of infrastructure proposals on the table from both Democrats and the Trump Administration. Undoubtedly lots of fighting… Read More ›
In 2003, I moved from Indiana to Georgia to begin a new job as Executive Director of Georgia River Network. When I arrived in the Peach State, the Tri-State Water War between Georgia, Alabama, and Florida had already been going on for over 13 years. Now, over 13 years later, this war over water still… Read More ›
This year’s Presidential election results were unexpected and outrageous in so many ways. The election disclosed how truly divided our country is – by age, gender, education, income, and race – and how isolated we have become from one another. We experienced a surprising abundance of hate speech, a tolerance for bad behavior, and a… Read More ›
Across the southeast, river protection groups and clean water advocates are raising the alarm as extreme drought conditions continue to spread following several months of below normal rainfall and hotter than normal temperatures. Photographs show waterfalls with no falling water, shoals with no tumbling water, only dry riverbed and rock, and stranded and dying rare… Read More ›
Written by Erin Wall, River Network At scales ranging from the neighborhood and city to the watershed and basin, communities around the country are finding ways to break down silos in water management to become more sustainable and to more equitably maximize benefits across their community and watershed. River Network is hosting a series of… Read More ›
