The Colorado River Basin
Essentially everyone in this country knows that there are certain animals that are endangered and at risk for becoming extinct. They are protected in many ways, both in America and internationally, to keep them from dying off forever. But did you know that rivers can also be endangered? American Rivers recently released its annual list of the country’s most endangered rivers, bringing light to a topic not many know about.
When we use too much water from our rivers, they begin to dry up. Mismanagement of the water supply affects water cleanliness, and drought causes further problems. Failing to address these problems could lead to major and minor rivers disappearing forever, further exacerbating our already too-high demand to water supply ratio.
What is America’s most endangered river? According to the report, it is the Colorado River. The hugely famous river has nicknames, too, including the Red, River Red, Grand River Red, American Nile, and Canyon Maker (it runs through the Grand Canyon). It is a river that has run for an estimated 6 million years, spanning thousands of miles and supplying water for millions of people.
The Colorado River runs through the Grand Canyon.
Human overuse, oversight, and abuse is not the only reason for river endangerment. Climate change is also predicted to reduce river flow on the Colorado by 10 to 30 percent within the next 35 years, further drying out a river that already cannot reach the ocean anymore. Check out this fantastic video on the Colorado River being endangered.
The top ten endangered rivers in America also include the Flint River, San Saba River, Little Plover River, Catawba River, Boundary Waters, Black Warrior River, Rough & Ready and Baldface Creeks, Kootenai River, and the Niobara River.