We’re joined this week by author and urban planner Hannah Palmer on a journey to find the Flint river in Atlanta, Georgia. Like so many urban rivers, the Flint is hardly recognizable as a river, at least at it’s headwaters beneath the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Through an effort called “Finding the Flint”, Hannah is working to bring the river back to the surface, both in terms of how it flows, and its role in people’s lives. This story of the Flint River isn’t unique, and ...
Oct 07, 2021•29 min
Tune in to learn more about the magical monsoon phenomenon that has so many of us awed. We talk to Dr.Connie Woodhouse, a professor in the school of geography, development and environment at the University of Arizona, and to John Fleck, director of The University of New Mexico's Water Resources Program. We cover some of what we know about the monsoon, what we don't, how it can't save us from a warmer and drier future, and how in some ways, maybe it can. Join us! John Fleck's book (which he co-au...
Sep 17, 2021•31 min
In a previous episode of "We Are Rivers", climate scientist Brad Udall said "You can't depress people into action". In this episode, our guest Amy McCoy is working to inspire us into action through a report she authored along with her partner, Season Martin, Culp & Kelly, and a whole host of other collaborators and contributors. The report outlines 10 bold strategies to increase climate resilience in the Colorado Basin, and Amy walks us through how the strategies were identified, and what th...
Jul 29, 2021•33 min
In this, our latest episode of We Are Rivers, we talk beavers and killer whales, poop sniffing dogs, and the inextricable link between wildlife, biodiversity, and healthy rivers. And, we imagine how we might translate this level of integrated understanding to policies and practices that govern rivers. This is the first of a two-part series. Join us! NOTES: Denielle Perry, Free Flowing Rivers Lab Free-flowing Rivers Lab https://denielleperry.com/research/ https://riverfieldstudies.com/ www.naustu...
Jun 29, 2021•45 min
Jocelyn Gibbon is a river guide, and she’s also a water law and policy expert. When she isn’t guiding trips through the Grand Canyon, Jocelyn is a consultant for non-profits and other groups navigating the complex water world in Arizona and the Colorado River Basin. We embrace Jocelyn’s multiple talents to cover Arizona’s lesser-known rivers, the beauty of the grand canyon and the joys of guiding, and we get into the nitty gritty of water management, and lack thereof, for groundwater in Arizona....
Jun 03, 2021•33 min
In mid-April, American Rivers released the 2021 list of the country’s Most Endangered Rivers. The event was the culmination of a year’s worth of work inviting nominations and vetting rivers. It is, above all, an important opportunity to call attention to struggling rivers that are in need of our help, and highlighting rivers where there’s an action we can take to make a difference in their fate. Tune in to learn about this year's #1 Most Endangered River, and what you can do about it.
May 07, 2021•34 min
In our latest episode of the “We are Rivers” podcast, Pastores Juan and Rocio Almanza talk to us about the connection between faith and rivers. In this bilingual podcast, we learn about how Pastor Juan Almanza and Pastora Mary Rocio Cañas see stewardship as integral to their faith, and what that means for how they lead and serve. As Pastores at Centro De Adoración Familiar in Las Vegas, we learn about their work with the Hispanic Access Foundation to host events as part of Latino Conservation We...
Apr 01, 2021•27 min
In this, our latest episode of the We Are Rivers Podcast, we learn about American River’s top priorities for the Biden-Harris administration. From investing in clean water to removing dams and providing renewed support for the Wild and Scenic River Act, we turn to our resident experts to learn about short and long term actions the new administration can take to improve the health and long-term resilience of the rivers we love, and the communities that rely on them. Listen in today! Photo Credit:...
Mar 08, 2021•39 min
Water Justice: what is it? In this episode, we talk with two experts in the field of environmental justice, Alicia Smith, Associate Director for Policy and Community Engagement Director at Freshwater Future and Kelsea Macilroy, instructor and PhD Candidate in the Sociology Department at Colorado State University. We discuss the different facets of environmental justice, examine injustices surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlight the importance of clean, accessible water for public health...
Feb 11, 2021•41 min
In 2020, we learned about Stream Management Planning efforts in the Colorado Basin, conservation happening in Latino communities, the relationship between the Waccamaw Indian People and the river, and Colorado's in-stream flow program. Tune in to this episode for a sneak preview of the 2021 podcast series, learn about our new publishing schedule, and to get acquainted with your co-hosts, Fay Hartman and Page Buono. Photo Credit: Colorado River in Fruita, Colorado, Sinjin Eberle
Feb 09, 2021•10 min
Through displacement, genocide and enslavement, the Waccamaw Indian People sustain their river heritage. Join us today to learn more about the Waccamaw Indian People and their history with the Waccamaw River in coastal South Carolina. For the Waccamaw Indian People, layers of oppression eroded the relationship between people and the river they relied on and that coursed through their history, culture, and being. But the impacts of that displacement don’t just live in the past, and it is essentia...
Oct 28, 2020•28 min
Across the country, cities and towns are rallying around forgotten areas of their communities - including rivers, creeks, open spaces and community parks. These areas are being rehabilitated and restored so locals and tourists alike can enjoy the many benefits they provide. In Austin, Texas, community members in East Austin came together to restore a forgotten creekside park - what has become Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt. Join us today to learn about the community driven process to undertake a ...
Oct 09, 2020•34 min
In the second of this two-part podcast, we are joined by our partners at the Hispanic Access Foundation for a conversation about the importance of water - including rivers, lakes and oceans – to the Latino community. We dive deeper into stories and personal connections to water from members of the Ocean’s Advisory Committee. While unique, these stories weave through similar themes, and encourage us to further examine the way water links us to place, to home, and to family. Most of all, these ins...
Sep 25, 2020•33 min
Join us for a miniseries of We Are Rivers: Conversations about the Rivers that Connect Us. In this two-part conversation we are joined by our partners at the Hispanic Access Foundation for a conversation about the importance of water - including rivers, lakes and oceans – to the Latinx community. The first episode dives into the Hispanic Access Foundations’ work to engage Latino communities in river and ocean conservation, and the role personal connections to water play in inspiring the work of ...
Jul 22, 2020•28 min
Join us for a two-part miniseries of We Are Rivers. We’ll learn more about Colorado's Stream Management Plans, an innovative planning tool prioritized in Colorado’s Water Plan, from people working with stakeholder groups and communities across Colorado to put them in place. If you were inspired by the first Episode, make sure to tune in today. In the second episode, we hear from some of the same voices and from new ones from the Rio Grande Basin – including Heather Dutton with the San Luis Valle...
Jun 22, 2020•22 min
Join us for a two-part miniseries of We Are Rivers. We’ll learn more about Colorado's Stream Management Plans, an innovative planning tool prioritized in Colorado’s Water Plan, from people working with stakeholder groups and communities across Colorado to put them in place. In the first episode of this miniseries, we hear from Nicole Seltzer, Science and Policy Manager of River Network, who talks us through the fundamentals of the stream management planning process. Holly Loff, Executive Directo...
May 19, 2020•31 min
In Episode 26 of We Are Rivers, we take a deeper look at the National Wildlife Refuge System and why it is so important to health of America’s natural resources. We explore the many benefits that the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge provide for human and natural communities in coastal South Carolina and why the minor boundary modification of Refuge was critical in ensuring that these benefits are preserved for future generations. Tune in today! Photo Credit: Waccamaw River, Mac Stone
Apr 29, 2020•37 min
America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2020 spotlights why our communities need clean water and healthy rivers now, more than ever. This year’s list highlights how climate change is threatening communities with increasingly severe flooding. Across the country communities are experiencing unprecedented challenges related to too much water at the wrong time. In the Midwest, we have a recipe for disaster, where poor river management is colliding with the reality of climate change. Right now, communit...
Apr 14, 2020•20 min
Join us for Episode 24 where we dive into Colorado's Instream Flow Program, a critical tool to protect and enhance river flows across the state of Colorado. In this episode we break down the complexities of the program, discuss the different tools that make up the Instream Flow Program, explore the program's benefits and understand the collaborative nature of the program. Photo Credit: Yampa River through the City of Steamboat Springs, City of Steamboat
Apr 03, 2020•35 min
In 1979, Mark Dubois chained himself to a boulder to protest filling of the reservoir behind the New Melones Dam that would drown California’s Stanislaus River. In episode 23 of the We Are Rivers podcast, listen to Mark share his story and lessons on saving beloved places. We also hear from Craig Tucker on the Klamath River, which promises to be one of the most significant dam removal and river restoration projects the world has seen. Photo Credit: Klamath River, Josh Miller
Oct 11, 2019•40 min
Join us for Episode 22 of We Are Rivers – Climate Change Part 2: Climate Change is Water Change. In this episode we expand on our learnings from Part 1 of the climate change series (episode 21) and discuss the impacts of climate change to the southwest, particularly in the Colorado River Basin. We know the impacts of climate change will affect all corners of the globe, and places like the southwest and the Colorado River Basin that are already dry will experience increased vulnerability in the f...
Sep 26, 2019•20 min
Join us for Episode 21 of We Are Rivers – Climate Change Part 1: Understanding the Science. In this episode we back-up broad-based knowledge about climate change with scientific explanations and address some questions from you about some of the impacts of climate change. Climate change is happening all around us, and it’s our responsibility to understand how and why we are experiencing these effects and the role humans have. Join us in this episode of We Are Rivers, as Brad Udall, climate scient...
Sep 19, 2019•25 min
Eighty percent of Americans live in cities. In Episode 20 of We Are Rivers, we talk with Majora Carter, co-founder of the Bronx River Alliance, and Jenny Hoffner with American Rivers about why restoring and celebrating urban rivers is so important. Tune in to learn more about the renewed connection local communities have with the Bronx River in New York and the Flint River in Georgia. Photo Credit: Bronx River, Charles R Berenguer, Jr
Aug 13, 2019•27 min
In Episode 4 of Ripple Effects we highlight Steamboat Springs, where like many other communities in Colorado understand the importance of a healthy, flowing rivers for the city and its residents. Tune in today to learn more about the connection Steamboat has with their local river, the Yampa and its many tributaries. Ripple Effects is a sub-series of American Rivers’ podcast We Are Rivers, focusing on the connections local communities have with their rivers. Photo Credit: Tubing on the Yampa Riv...
Jul 15, 2019•21 min
In Episode 3 of Ripple Effects we highlight Eagle County. Residents understand the importance of a healthy, flowing rivers for their communities in the Eagle and Roaring Fork Valleys. Tune in today to learn more about the connection Eagle County has with their local rivers including the Eagle, Upper Colorado, Roaring Fork and Frying Pan Rivers. Ripple Effects is a sub-series of American Rivers’ podcast We Are Rivers, focusing on the connections local communities have with their rivers. Photo Cre...
Jun 18, 2019•20 min
The story of the Green is, in a word, complicated. There are many different uses and user groups who depend on the Green River. Telling the complicated tale of the Green River – including its past, present and future is a daunting task. Despite these challenges, Heather Hansman, environmental reporter and former raft guide, felt a unique pull to tell the story of the river from the seat of her packraft - its threats, opportunities and the intersection with its many users. In the summer of 2017, ...
May 22, 2019•23 min
Climate change hits rivers and water first and hardest, impacting all communities but particularly historically marginalized communities who, as a result of generations of discrimination, are often located in floodplains, drained wetlands, or adjacent to sewage outfalls. The impacts of climate change exacerbate the other injustices that these communities face and will only grow worse over time. It’s important that when we talk about climate change, it isn’t just about charts and numbers but also...
Apr 22, 2019•21 min
This year, the America’s Most Endangered Rivers® report spotlights the threat that climate change poses to rivers, clean water supplies, public safety and communities nationwide. This year we are using America’s Most Endangered Rivers to not only call for action on the 10 listed rivers but also to spotlight how climate change is threatening all of our rivers. We want to help drive urgency around stopping climate change, and, we want to advance efforts to protect and restore rivers, which strengt...
Apr 18, 2019•12 min
For this episode of We Are Rivers, we take a break from understanding the policies that manage and protect our rivers to focus on why it is we care about protecting rivers in the first place. In Episode 16 we hear from two of our listeners: Eliza Stein and Jordana Barack as they share their river stories. The stories of how Eliza Stein and Jordana Barrack became involved in river running, their favorite memories on water, and what they hope to accomplish with water conservation and inclusivity w...
Apr 01, 2019•21 min
Today, we release part 2 of our mini series on the impacts of a Colorado River Compact Call. Building on the content of Episode 14, in Episode 15 we hear again from Jim Lochhead, CEO of Denver Water and Andy Mueller, General Manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District. Episode 15 describes their thoughts about what the Upper Basin States are doing to reduce the risk of a Compact Call. As Lochhead and Mueller describe, Upper Basin Water managers are taking a number of different volu...
Jan 28, 2019•22 min
