Lochsa River Madness

Some Memorial Day big runoff action on the Lochsa. (Via:Spokesman.com)

America's top 10 'Most Endangered' rivers of 2011

Each year American Rivers reveals finalists for its "Most Endangered" list based on three criteria: A major decision in the coming year that the public can help influence; the significance of the river to people and wildlife; and the magnitude of the threat, especially in light of a changing climate.

These photos represent 10 rivers chosen for 2011 as well as a "special mention" for the Mississippi River due to recent flooding.

(Via: MSNBC)

Kettle River tops BC’s Most Endangered Rivers List for 2011

This is the 19th year the the Outdoor Recreation Council of Britsh Columbia has published B.C.'s Most Endangered Rivers report.

For the second year in a row the Kettle River was identified as the number one most threatened river due to new water extraction proposals near its source. The river is already suffering from excessive water withdrawals, so unless greater measures are taken this river may never recover, foreshadowing what many other streams in the region will face with continuing climate change.

BC’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2011

1. Kettle River (water extraction, development)
2. “Sacred Headwaters” of Skeena, Nass and Stikine (coalbed methane)
3. Peace River (hydro-electric dam proposal)  
4. Fraser River, “Heart of the Fraser”(urbanization, industrial development, habitat loss)
5. Kokish River (IPP proposal)
6. Morice (pipeline proposal)
7. Taku River (mining development, road proposal, leachate concerns)
8. Similkameen River (cross border dam proposal)  
9. Elk River (development, increasing selenium levels, wildlife migration issues)  
10. Coquitlam River (excessive sedimentation, urbanization)
11. Bute Inlet Rivers (IPP proposal)
12. Atlin River (impacts of dam and Whitehorse, Yukon energy proposal)

LINK (Via: Spring Creek Film)

Montana River's Spring Runoff

With snowpack similar to last year, MTskibum has aggregated the dates and the links that show last year's Montana spring runoff numbers. While impossible to predict this far out, still a good indicator and resource.

LINK (Via: North America Fly Fishing Forum)

We’ve seen enough, heard enough, and now we’re taking action

Partagonia CEO Casey Sheahan, and New Belgium Brewery CEO Kim Jordan, have penned an enviro essay about their campaign to save the Colorado River.

The Save the Colorado campaign will donate funding totaling $500,000 through a granting cycle twice a year for three years – 2010, 2011, 2012 – that will focus on three programmatic areas: 1) raising public awareness about the threats to the river, 2) promoting water conservation in cities that use Colorado River water, and 3) addressing the threats, and potential mitigations, of past and future dams, diversions and reservoirs.

The philanthropic campaign includes business and foundation partners from the top of the Colorado River basin all the way to the bottom. Colorado partners include New Belgium Brewing, Aspen Snowmass Environment Foundation, Kenney Brothers Foundation and National Geographic Maps. California partners include OARS, Patagonia and Environment Now.

LINK

Uranium contamination is just one of the myriad of threats facing the Colorado.

This year, Patagonia’s environmental campaign, Our Common Waters, spotlights the need to balance human water consumption with that of animals and plants.

Trinity River