America has more than 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams, from the 2,340-mile-long Mississippi to Montana's 200-foot-long Roe River. By some measures, American rivers are getting healthier, due in large part to the Clean Water Act, but there's still a lot of work to do. EPA's latest National Rivers and Streams Assessment found that 46% of America's rivers and streams are in "poor" biological condition. Just 28% rated "good."

The main problem is runoff and dumping from development, as well as nutrient pollution--much of it from excess fertilizer used on farms.

The nutrients cause low oxygen levels that kill aquatic life and stunt shoreline vegetation. Higher temperatures from climate change also play a role. Warmer water (combined with excess nutrients) accelerates the growth of toxic blue-green algae. Fortunately, there's a lot the public can do to return our waterways to health.

Join the fight! Educate yourself about the myriad threats to the nation's waterways, and advocate for legal solutions at both the local and national levels. You'll find that local officials are often receptive to well-documented presentations of local pollution.

Two groups offer excellent, nation-wide support. American Rivers can help you get up to speed on the threats facing rivers. The Waterkeeper Alliance has great legal advice and information on the connection between industry and water health.

Organize locally. Form a multigenerational group to protect the rivers where you live. Think strategically before your first meeting. Invite swimmers, fishermen, boaters, hikers—and don't forget school teachers and kids and local officials. Hold joint events with other organizations, and use your collective clout to sway politicians on the local, state and federal level. If you decide on a cleanup, register your plan with American Rivers' National River Cleanup to get free trash bags, help with media coverage and technical support.

Don't forget your wading boots. The summer cleanup season is upon us, and there's a good chance river cleanup is underway near you.

Last year the National River Cleanup registered 1,953 events and mobilized 47,648 volunteers to remove 3.4 million pounds of trash. Groups also planted native trees and shrubs to slow runoff and help restore wildlife habitat.

It can be hard work. "We have crews in canoes and on riverbanks, and they take out tons of plastic and other pollutants," says Captain Bill Sheehan, the Hackensack, NJ, Riverkeeper. "It's a never-ending battle."

Chad Pregracke, the founder of Living Lands & Water, which has cleaned up rivers in 20 states, says, "I tell people they should selfishly volunteer—because they just might find out what they want to do with their lives." So get out there, and get to work!

Be a Freshwater Hero
Riverkeeper was formed to defend the Hudson River. Its success spurred an explosive growth of similar grass-roots programs. riverkeeper.org

Living Lands & Waters has mobilized more than 98,000 volunteers to clean rivers. livinglandandwaters.org

Western Rivers Conservancy acquires land to protect outstanding river systems in the West. Its motto: "Sometimes to save a river, you have to buy it." westernrivers.org

American Rivers combines national advocacy with field work in key river basins. It sponsors the National River Cleanup. americanrivers.org(bit.ly/2taqv9N).

Waterkeeper Alliance was founded to support the Riverkeeper network and hundreds of other organizations fighting for clean water in rivers, lakes and coastal waterways. It has affiliated in 41 states. waterkeeper.org

Motavalli, Jim, Make a splash, save a river, Solutions, edf.org, summer, 2017, p. 18

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