美國最瀕危的河川其實就是肇因於過時的水源與洪水管理政策，而受到影響的是整個河川系統。美國河川組織警告，加州沙加緬度──聖華金河(Sacramento-San Joaquin River)系統正處於崩潰邊緣最關鍵的狀態。美國河川組織警告危機正來自各種影響，如氣候變遷、人口擴張、水源需求與物種瀕危等。
"Our nation is at a transformational moment when it comes to rivers and clean water," said Rebecca Wodder, president of American Rivers as she released the organization's annual list of America's 10 Most Endangered Rivers on Tuesday. "Water is life, yet our nation's water infrastructure is so outdated that our clean drinking water, flood protection and river health face unprecedented threats."
This year's report highlights the what Wodder calls the "sorry state" of the nation's water infrastructure - drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems, and dams and levees ?and the need for green, 21st century investments to protect clean water, public health and safety, and the fish and wildlife that depend on healthy rivers.
The nation's most endangered river is actually an entire river system threatened by outdated water and flood management policies. California's Sacramento-San Joaquin River system, the largest watershed in the state is on the verge of collapse, American Rivers warns. The risks are numerous - climate change, population growth, water supply demands, and endangered species listings.
In a March report, California's Department of Water Resources warned that the risk of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta island flooding is "likely to increase substantially over the next century." The report assesses major risks to Delta levees from floods, seepage, subsidence and earthquakes.
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta provides water to as many as 25 million Californians and about three million acres of agricultural land. The report's findings will be used to develop a set of strategies to manage levee failure risks in the Delta and to improve the management of state funding that supports levee maintenance and improvement.
Each year, American Rivers solicits nominations from thousands of river groups, environmental organizations, outdoor clubs, local governments, and taxpayer watchdogs for its annual report on America's most endangered rivers. The report, now in its 23rd year, highlights the rivers facing the most uncertain futures rather than those suffering from the worst chronic problems.
The report presents alternatives to proposals that would damage rivers, identifies those who make the crucial decisions, and points out opportunities for the public to take action on behalf of each listed river.