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The Sustainable Rivers Project

Fishermen on the Savannah River, Georgia. © The Nature Conservancy.  Sustainable Rivers- Resources An overview of the Sustainable Rivers Project   Sustainable Rivers Project case studies: Green River  Savannah River Willamette River   The Green River Interim Plan   The Bill Williams River: Defining Ecosystem Flow   Map: View a map of The Sustainable Rivers Project sites around the United States.   Software: Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA),  Software for understanding hydrologic changes in ecologically-relevant terms   Case Study: Developing Environmental Flow Recommendations (PDF)   Map: Freshwater Portfolio Sites Downstream of Army Corps of Engineers Dams (PDF)

Partnership in Action

The future of many American rivers rests with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, empowered by Congress to manage the nation’s waterways. As the largest water manager and hydropower producer in the United States, the Corps owns more than 600 dams, controls levees and administers river locks that allow for navigation, making it an essential partner in the Conservancy's goal to achieve lasting river conservation in the United States.

In 2002, the Conservancy and the Corps launched a historic partnership to find new ways of conserving and protecting freshwater habitats while meeting human needs for water. Named the Sustainable Rivers Project, it is an important example of the Conservancy’s freshwater conservation work. Sustainable Rivers promotes innovative water management practices through work at demonstration sites, staff exchanges and software development. A focal challenge in the partnership is finding ways to manage floods so that key ecological processes, such as fish spawning and forest regeneration, can persist, while human settlements are protected.

Currently, work to restore more natural water flows is underway at key project sites from the Roanoke River on the East Coast to the Bill Williams River in the West. The project builds on the collective strengths of the Corps, the Conservancy and other partners. Because less than 2 percent of America’s rivers remain free flowing, the importance of the Sustainable Rivers Project cannot be overemphasized. Taken together, these efforts will leave future generations a legacy of healthier rivers across the United States and examples to emulate across the world.

Promoting Change

The project’s ultimate success rests with the Conservancy’s ability to influence federal policy, funding and program guidelines, all of which underpin the Corps’ management of dams. The Sustainable Rivers Project is working with lawmakers and others, calling attention to America’s freshwater habitats and their life-giving services.

The aging national infrastructure offers a unique opportunity for engineers to incorporate sustainable principles into upgrades and new structures. Further, Sustainable Rivers is poised to help communities usher in a new era of water management.