Rivers of Southern Appalachia
The French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers have been damaged by scour and debris caused by Hurricane Helene. If left untreated, eroding areas will continue to break off, releasing additional sediment that harms water quality and leads to further property losses in future storms.
Renee Fortner, Director of Programs, RiverLink
Most endangered rivers
Threat: Extreme weather, flooding, unsafe dams, lack of Federal Capacity
The Rivers of Southern Appalachia weave a rich tapestry, vital to the region’s culture and economy, providing clean drinking water to over 2 million people throughout more than a dozen communities from Newport, Tennessee to Charlotte, North Carolina. But Hurricane Helene devastated these rivers and communities with record flooding and landslides. Federal, state, and local partners have already allocated resources to the region, but there is a long road to recovery and preparation for the next storm in the years to come. Together we must continue to restore the rivers, invest in communities, and remove unsafe dams to strengthen the region so people and businesses can thrive despite increasingly extreme weather.
American Rivers appreciates the collaboration and efforts of our partners:
- MountainTrue
- RiverLink
Speak up for the Rivers of Southern Appalachia
Call on state and federal leaders to provide funding for the restoration of these rivers and the surrounding communities to restore access to clean, reliable drinking water once again.