Recently we’ve learned that PFAS pollution is even worse than we thought. The level of toxic PFAS in the Robeson County landfill is staggering, and it is hurting the river, our ecosystems, and our communities.
Jefferson Currie II, an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and Lumber Riverkeeper
Threat: Pollution from industrial agriculture and forever chemicals
The Wild and Scenic Lumber River provides drinking water to local communities and is a refuge for fish and wildlife. But “forever chemicals”, or PFAS, as well as industrial agriculture, are polluting the river and making drinking water supplies unsafe. The state of North Carolina must direct funding to safeguard drinking water sources and ensure that any permits for industrial agriculture include adequate protections for the river and public health.
American Rivers appreciates the collaboration and efforts of our partners:
- Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC)
- Winyah Rivers Alliance
The Dan River is a life source for hundreds of thousands of people and a sacred cultural corridor for Indigenous communities. Any project that risks contaminating these waters or disturbing ancestral sites must be held to the highest legal and ethical standards.
Dr. Crystal Cavalier, Executive Director, 7 Directions of Service
Threat: Two Major Gas Pipelines
The Dan River supplies clean drinking water to roughly one million people and is a vital lifeline for an abundance of wildlife. But the construction of two major gas pipelines threatens drinking water sources and wildlife habitat. The governors of Virginia and North Carolina must ensure that pipeline construction meets all clean water safeguards to ensure the health of the rivers and its communities.
American Rivers appreciates the collaboration and efforts of our partners:
- 7 Directions of Service
- Dan River Basin Association
- Dan Riverkeeper
- Good Stewards of Rockingham
- Clean Water for North Carolina
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
- Catawba Riverkeeper
The Little Pee Dee River is not just a body of water; it’s a vital lifeline to our ecosystem, our heritage, and our future. As stewards of this precious resource, we must take a stand to ensure its preservation. Development, particularly the proposed construction of I-73, threatens the integrity of this river and the delicate balance of its ecosystem.
Debra Buffkin, Executive Director of Winyah Rivers Alliance
Most endangered rivers
Threat: Highway Development
The Little Pee Dee River, situated primarily in the upper coastal plain of South Carolina, is recognized as one of the Southeast’s most unique blackwater rivers, holding remarkable value for people and wildlife. Along its 118-mile course are miles of forested wetlands, which provide a critical habitat for endangered species of fish and wildlife. The river has remained mostly untouched by development, but the looming threat of highway development and poor resource management puts this river, and the communities that depend on it, at risk. Tell the South Carolina legislature to deny funding for the construction of I-73 and pass legislation to protect wetlands no longer covered under the Clean Water Act.
American Rivers appreciates the collaboration and efforts of our partners:
- Winyah Rivers Alliance
- Waccamaw Indian People
- Coastal Conservation League