The Gibraltar River is one of many streams flowing into Illiamna Lake, the freshwater heart of the Bristol Bay region. The nonprofit American Rivers has ranked this entire watershed as #2 on its annual list of “America's Most Endangered Rivers.” Ross Purnell photo
April 10, 2018
By Jonathan Wright
The 2018 America's Most Endangered Rivers list has just been released, and as usual, the results are both shocking and unexpected. Compiled by American Rivers, one of the nation's most established and well-respected conservation groups, the list of the nation's most at-risk waterways is a compilation based on not only streams that are subject to immediate ecological threats, but also ones that have the potential for current public involvement that could affect policy change in real time.
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Rainbow trout and five species of Pacific salmon are threatened by the Proposed Pebble Mine in the Bristol Bay watershed.Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard -- one of the most visible environmental advocates on the world stage -- has been famously quoted as saying, "You can't do business on a dead planet". Having grown up in the western US myself, I can attest that nothing happens without clean water. Business, agriculture and recreation all depend on responsible management of a rapidly diminishing resource facing relentlessly increasing demand.
Readers should please consider making a donation to American Rivers in support of the important work that they are doing to protect our angling resources now and in the future.