Nongovernmental Organizations

American Rivers:          
American Rivers is a national conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring America's river systems and to fostering a river stewardship ethic. American Rivers staff works cooperatively with conservation groups, local citizens and businesses, and various federal, state, and tribal agencies to build coalitions and provide technical support to strengthen local and regional conservation efforts which protect rivers. In addition to protecting nationally significant rivers, American Rivers' programs address flood control and hydropower policy reform, endangered aquatic and riparian species protection, western instream flow, clean water and urban rivers.

American Water Resources Association:     
The American Water Resources Association is a non-profit professional association dedicated to the advancement of multidisciplinary water resources management, research, and education.

American Water Works Association: 
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is an international nonprofit scientific and educational society dedicated to the improvement of drinking water quality and supply.

American Whitewater Association:   
American Whitewater's mission is to conserve and restore America's whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.

Center for Watershed Protection:   
The Center for Watershed Protection is a non-profit corporation whose strategy includes watershed planning and restoration, stormwater research and management, watershed education, outreach and training. They offer technical tools and publications, both available on their website.

Ducks Unlimited, Inc:
Ducks Unlimited, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and conservation of waterfowl. Multiple projects nationwide are complete or ongoing to benefit waterfowl, fish and wildlife on rivers and wetlands.

Environmental Defense:     
The Environmental Defense Fund is a national conservation organization dedicated to protecting the environmental rights of all people. They advocate solutions to environmental problems guided by ecologic, economic, and legal expertise. Included in this site is a page on dams, where the viewer can view a map and find out detailed information about dams from all over the world that are: proposed for removal, proposed for construction, and under construction. Use the index to go to "D" for dams, then go to the dams page.

Freshwater Society:     
The Freshwater Society is dedicated to promoting the protection and rational management of all freshwater resources. They co-publish the monthly newspaper, U.S. Water News, as well as the Aquatic nuisance Species Digest, both available online.

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Environment and Agriculture Program:     
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy - Environment and Agriculture Program The Environment and Agriculture Program of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) strives to maximize the productivity of the rural landscape while minimizing the environmental damage to agriculture from the industrialized global economy. Projects include: Pesticide Decision Tool, Nutrient Management Yardstick, and Watershed Protection.

International Water Management Institute:     
The IWMI is a non-profit scientific research organization whose mission is to improve water management for human use and nature. Their objectives include identifying issues and developing, testing and promoting management practices and tools. They list research, reports and publications of their work worldwide.

International Rivers Network (IRN):     
IRN is an international non-governmental organization working to halt destructive river development practices and promote sound river management options worldwide. The word "network" implies cooperation, information exchange, and the development of a movement committed to the wise use of the planet's rivers and fresh water resources. This web site provides information about current efforts, and links to other web sites. The information can be viewed in numerous languages including English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Natural Heritage Institute:     
The Natural Heritage Institute is a non-profit natural resource conservation organization dedicated to the improvement of the laws and institutions that manage our natural heritage domestically and internationally. Hydropower reform, lists of projects, publications, FERC re-licensing information. The NHI is part The National Hydropower Reform Coalition.

NatureServe:    
NatureServe is a non-profit conservation organization that provides scientific information and tools to help guide effective conservation action. NatureServe represents an international network of biological inventories-known as natural heritage programs or conservation data centers-operating in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. NatureServe collects and manages detailed local information on plants, animals, and ecosystems, and develops information products, data management tools, and conservation services to help meet local, national, and global conservation needs.

Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security, Water and Sustainability Program:   
The Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security is an independent, non-profit center created in 1987 to conduct research and policy analysis in the areas of environment, sustainable development, and international security.

River Alliance of Wisconsin:     
The River Alliance of Wisconsin is a non-profit group dedicated to advocating for protection, enhancement and restoration of Wisconsin rivers and watersheds. Large list of dams, both in WI and others, that have been removed. Information on Wisconsin hydropower relicensing & the Citizen Action Network for Our Environment.

The River Network:    
The River Network provides tools to help people organize to protect rivers and watersheds. This organization support river and watershed advocates at the local, state, and regional levels, helps them build effective organizations, and promote working together to build a nationwide movement for rivers and watersheds. River Network also acquires and conserves riverlands that are critical to the services that rivers perform for human communities: drinking water supply, floodplain management, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, and open space.

The Smithsonian Institute's Ocean Planet Exhibit:     
The Smithsonian Institute has a web site dedicated to their traveling exhibit, "Ocean Planet". Ocean Planet premiered at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History from April 1995 to April 1996. During this time it attracted nearly two million visitors. This electronic online companion exhibition contains all of the text and most of the panel designs and images found in the traveling exhibition. Although the majority of this site is dedicated to oceans, the site includes interesting information on coastal wetlands and on the ecological effects of dams.

Snake and Columbia River Campaigns:     
Among the most well publicized efforts to remove dams and restore flows are those associated with the Snake and Columbia Rivers. The web site contains useful information about efforts to save or restore these rivers, restore flows generally, and remove dams.

Trout Unlimited:    
Trout Unlimited is a national conservation organization concerned with improving water quality and securing adequate instream flows to aid in the recovery of Pacific & Atlantic salmon and to conserve wild trout and salmon populations. They address threats that include dams, mining, forestry and grazing practices.

Universities Water Information Network:    
The UWIN is sponsored by the Universities Council on Water Resources at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. This site is a clearinghouse designed to act as a reliable source for the water resources community. Their mission is to help bring water resources research and related activities to the information superhighway for access by users throughout the world. The site offers research projects, updates, teaching tools, databases, grant funding announcements, conferences, and press releases.

Water Environment Federation:    
Founded in 1928, WEF is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the global water environment.

The Water Page:    
The Water Page is an independent initiative that's mission is to provide service to the public and water sector at local, national and international levels through which sustainable resources protection, development and utilization is promoted. This site offers case studies, publications, water education information, water policy and water news.

Wilson Center:
The Woodrow Wilson International Center For Scholars. This website includes information on a range of topics, including the link between water health and human life.g

World Resources Institute:   
World Resources Institute (WRI) is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to find practical ways to protect the earth and improve people's lives. The World Resources Institute's mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth's environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. WRI provides?and helps other institutions provide?objective information and practical proposals for policy and institutional change that will foster environmentally sound, socially equitable development.

World Wildlife Fund:     
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is an international conservation organization whose mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity; ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable; and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. WWF is pursuing two main approaches to freshwater conservation: managing rivers better by recognizing the vital interdependence of land, water and ecosystems, and increasing wetland conservation areas and improving their management and uses.