Blog

Building Formal Collaboratives to Leverage Federal Funding

What does it take to build and sustain a formal collaborative and how do these collaboratives leverage federal funding to support their work? To explore these questions, River Network partnered with AMP Insights to develop case studies of coalitions across the Western United States that have effectively leveraged federal funds for river restoration and water... Read More

Litter in Our Nation’s Waterways and Communities

Litter, we have all seen it—clogging the flow of our favorite neighborhood stream, or carelessly thrown to the side of the road waiting to be carried by the elements to the nearest waterway. Keep America Beautiful’s 2020 Litter Study estimated that over 50 billion pieces of litter are obstructing our roadways and waterways. When disposed… Read More

Observation in the Basin – A Community Action Story

This guest blog was originally written by Dave Bell, a volunteer with Tookany/Tacony-Frankford partnership (TTF), and published on their website in December 2019. Dave updated the blog in November 2022, granting permission to River Network to publish it in conjunction with the release of our new “Observation in the Basin” pages. Construction Site Runoff In… Read More

Solving the Puzzle of the Yampa River

River Network staff member Nicole Seltzer with her crew of river running friends on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument, May 2021.
For the last four years, tucked in the northwestern corner of Colorado, a group of 27 stakeholders representing a diverse range of interest groups has come together to write an Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP). Over this four-year period, the IWMP conducted assessments and identified consensus-driven strategies that seek to maintain a balanced river system... Read More

Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program Check-In

LIHWAP, the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program created and funded through emergency Covid-19 legislation in December 2020 (Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA)) and March 2021 (ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act)), is the first national water assistance program of its kind. We previously covered some of the basics of the program and an update on how the... Read More

A Profound Shift of Focus – Reflections on the 2022 River Rally

In recent years, a growing number of environmental organizations are addressing the issues of natural resource management in America’s cities. Though most had previously devoted their attention to the conservation of remote wilderness areas, many are now dedicating their efforts towards communities that have long been on the margins of our society. At its first… Read More

Times of Transition

UPDATE 9/26/22 – River Network has selected the firm GoodCitizen to lead the search for our next leader. The river is constantly turning and bending and you never know where it’s going to go and where you’ll wind up. Following the bend in the river and staying on your own path means that you are… Read More

The Next 50 Years of the Clean Water Act: Evening the Playing Field

Public clean water agencies are proud of the improvements to the environmental, social, and economic health of local communities they have helped bring about through 50 years of Clean Water Act (CWA) implementation. From significant advancements in wastewater treatment and stormwater management, to clean energy generation, carbon emissions reductions, urban renewal projects and green infrastructure… Read More

The Next River Rally

Mark your calendar for the next River Rally, which will take place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2024!  River Network has hosted River Rally annually for decades, bringing together thousands of water professionals for an infusion of inspiration, knowledge-sharing, and celebration. For the River Network team, hosting River Rally is an immensely rewarding experience, but... Read More

Restoration and Reflection in the Umpqua Watershed

For 35 years Oregonians have celebrated their local rivers during River Appreciation days, and this year River Network staff were on hand to join in the fun. Started in the town of Roseburg, Oregon, in 1987 in response to concerns about the water quality degradation of the Umpqua River, the third Saturday in July is one... Read More