River Network Programs

River Network is mobilizing a national movement to safeguard clean water and healthy watersheds. Our programs empower and inspire grassroots leaders all across America to create strong and effective local organizations that protect our “home” rivers while also addressing some of the biggest challenges facing our country:

  • Protecting sources of clean, fresh water and advancing conservation strategies before our water scarcity crisis worsens;

  • Regulating and remediating contaminants in the water that are causing so many human health problems, particularly in disadvantaged communities;

  • Rebuilding America’s ailing water infrastructure differently from the damaging patterns of the past that have so degraded our rivers and watersheds; and

  • Mitigating climate change by reducing the enormous energy consumption involved with inefficiently moving, heating and treating water in this country.

Below you will find a complete listing with short descriptions of our current programs with links to the corresponding program landing pages for more information.
National River Heroes

River Network's River Heroes Award celebrates rivers and those who protect them by recognizing some of our victories and honoring those who provide us with leadership and inspiration along the way.
National River Rally

Together we are an unstoppable force for the protection of our home rivers and waters.
And River Rally is the place where our movement grows and strengthens!
Partnership Program

River Network exists to help locally-led river and watershed groups survive and grow. The Partnership program provides individualized support, publications, resources and trainings created with you – the river conservationist – in mind.
River Leaders

Through our Organizational Development program, we assist hundreds of river and watershed organizations become more effective through trainings, facilitation and consultation services. We provide these services through our own staff or in partnership with statewide and regional organizations that also support local watershed groups in their areas.
Rivers & Habitat

Through the Rivers and Habitat Program, we help river lovers learn about practices, strategies, and laws for protecting water quality and riparian habitat; decide how best to adapt them to their situation; and use these tools to protect and restore local streams and lakes.
Rivers & Our Health

Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities Program

The Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities program links community groups with regional resource experts to help these groups investigate, understand and take action to address community health problems related to pollution.
Rivers, Energy & Climate

Global warming is the defining issue of the 21st century. River Network's “Saving Water, Saving Energy” program was created out of a desire to help watershed groups understand and communicate the water-energy nexus in order to tackle the climate crisis head on and ensure that a watershed perspective is represented within the broader climate change debate.
Watershed Support Network

Watershed Support Network's goal is to increase the ability of watershed partnerships to plan and implement successful watershed-level protection and restoration projects.