The Upper Mississippi River is the nation’s “most endangered river” of 2020, according to a report released Tuesday by the environmental advocacy group American Rivers.

According to the group, “the Upper Mississippi River is critical to the nation’s economy and is a globally significant ecosystem. However, climate change is driving more intense rain storms, leading to more frequent and prolonged flooding in the Upper Midwest. This new reality puts people, habitat and infrastructure at risk – and communities along the upper Mississippi are dangerously unprepared.” 

The rivers on the list aren’t the nation’s “worst” or most polluted rivers. According to American Rivers, three factors put rivers on the list: 

1. The magnitude of the threat. 
2. The significance of the river to people and nature.
3. A critical decision point in the coming year.

“There is no environmental threat of greater magnitude today than climate change, the key factor affecting the fates of the Upper Mississippi, the Lower Missouri and the Big Sunflower River (in Mississippi), the number one, two, and three rivers on the 2020 list,” American Rivers said.

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“Mixing poor river management with climate change has created a recipe for disaster,” Bob Irvin, president and CEO of American Rivers, said in a statement. “Lives, businesses and property are at risk. It’s time for our leaders to prioritize solutions that protect rivers and strengthen communities. Our health and safety depend on it.”

Flooding threatens upper Mississippi and lower Missouri communities right now. Federal forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict major or moderate floods in 23 states through the end of May.

Flooding during the coronavirus outbreak would create unprecedented risks for public health and safety, according to American Rivers.

As the coronavirus rages, does this list really matter?

American Rivers said yes: “We need clean water and healthy rivers more than ever now. Rivers provide the clean water that is absolutely vital to combat infectious disease; they keep our bodies hydrated, our hands and surfaces at home and in the workplace clean and disinfected.  

“In a time of social distancing and the lonely disconnection it fosters, rivers can provide solace and nourish the spirit, even if it’s only the daydream of a walk along the banks with a loved one, the perfect cast or the ideal trim of a kayak.” 

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Over the years, publicity about the top 10 list has helped spur many successes, including the removal of outdated dams and the prevention of harmful development and pollution.

In addition to the 10 most troubled rivers, American Rivers named the Delaware River as the “River of the Year.” The title celebrates the progress in cleaning up the river, which the group called “an extraordinary example of restoration.”

The top 10 most endangered rivers of 2020

American Rivers has compiled an annual list of the nation’s most endangered rivers since 1984. Here’s the latest:

1. Upper Mississippi River (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin)
2. Lower Missouri River (Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas)
3. Big Sunflower River (Mississippi)
4. Puyallup River (Washington)
5. South Fork Salmon River (Idaho)
6. Menominee River (Michigan, Wisconsin)
7. Rapid Creek (South Dakota)
8. Okefenokee Swamp (Georgia, Florida)
9. Ocklawaha River (Florida)
10. Lower Youghiogheny River (Pennsylvania)

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