The state of America’s Rivers
Serena McClain
American Rivers
Fairfax, Virginia
All people and ecosystems depend on healthy rivers and clean water. Rivers provide our drinking water, grow our food, and sustain our spirit. Our planet’s rivers – our life support system of fresh, clean water – are in crisis. Rivers are at risk as never before from climate change, pollution, drought, flooding, and loss of natural habitat. In the U.S., only a small fraction of our 3 million miles of rivers remain healthy and free-flowing.
We are at a pivotal moment in time. We have unprecedented opportunities to address these problems head-on thanks to critical investments in rivers and clean water infrastructure in both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. During this presentation, McClain will review the state of rivers in the U.S. and efforts to restore rivers and streams around the country.
About Serena McClain
Serena McClain has worked in the river restoration field for more than twenty years, focusing largely on dam removal planning and restoration capacity building. She works with regional and national stakeholders to demonstrate how to enhance safety, quality of life, and economic development by restoring the natural function of rivers. While at American Rivers, she has led the removal of five dams and advised on dozens of on-the-ground restoration projects, spearheaded state and federal policy initiatives, and overseen two restoration grant programs administered by the organization. She currently leads the American Rivers’ River Restoration Program Dam Removal Practice, leading a talented group of individuals with a diversity of river restoration expertise ranging from environmental law and policy to restoration science and water resources engineering.
