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10 most endangered rivers in the United States for 2017

  • <p>Lower Colorado River canal in the desert. (Photo: Justin Clifton) </p>
    1/19

    #1 Lower Colorado River

    Lower Colorado River canal in the desert. (Photo: Justin Clifton)

  • <p>Farming along the Lower Colorado River. (Photo: Amy Martin) </p>
    2/19

    #1 Lower Colorado River

    Farming along the Lower Colorado River. (Photo: Amy Martin)

  • <p>Aerial view of the site for the future Centennial Dam on the Bear River. (Photo: Voice of the Bear River) </p>
    3/19

    #2 Bear River

    Aerial view of the site for the future Centennial Dam on the Bear River. (Photo: Voice of the Bear River)

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  • <p>Fly-fishing on the Bear River. (Photo: Voice of the Bear River) </p>
    4/19

    #2 Bear River

    Fly-fishing on the Bear River. (Photo: Voice of the Bear River)

  • <p>A train rolls along a trestle over the South Fork Skykomish River. (Photo: Thomas O’Keefe) </p>
    5/19

    #3 South Fork Skykomish River

    A train rolls along a trestle over the South Fork Skykomish River. (Photo: Thomas O’Keefe)

  • <p>View of the South Fork Skykomish River. (Photo: Thomas O’Keefe) </p>
    6/19

    #3 South Fork Skykomish River

    View of the South Fork Skykomish River. (Photo: Thomas O’Keefe)

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  • <p>Casting a net off a pier on the Mobile Bay Basin. (Photo: Mobile Baykeeper Swimmable Water Weekend Photo Contest) </p>
    7/19

    #4 Mobile Bay Basin

    Casting a net off a pier on the Mobile Bay Basin. (Photo: Mobile Baykeeper Swimmable Water Weekend Photo Contest)

  • <p>View of Mobile Delta at Five Rivers. (Photo: Charles Seifried) </p>
    8/19

    #4 Mobile Bay Basin

    View of Mobile Delta at Five Rivers. (Photo: Charles Seifried)

  • <p>People enjoying the Rappahannock River in Virginia. (Photo: Harlow Chandler) </p>
    9/19

    #5 Rappahannock River

    People enjoying the Rappahannock River in Virginia. (Photo: Harlow Chandler)

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  • <p>Oysters harvested from the Rappahannock River. (Photo: Chesapeake Bay Program) </p>
    10/19

    #5 Rappahannock River

    Oysters harvested from the Rappahannock River. (Photo: Chesapeake Bay Program)

  • <p>Green River Valley in Washington as seen from the air. (Photo: Air Cascade Forest Conservancy) </p>
    11/19

    #6 Green-Toutle River

    Green River Valley in Washington as seen from the air. (Photo: Air Cascade Forest Conservancy)

  • <p>Fly-fishing along the Green-Toutle River. (Photo: Balance Media) </p>
    12/19

    #6 Green-Toutle River

    Fly-fishing along the Green-Toutle River. (Photo: Balance Media)

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  • <p>Paddling a canoe on the Black River, a tributary of the Cape Fear River. (Photo: Cape Fear Riverwatch) </p>
    13/19

    #7 Neuse and Cape Fear rivers

    Paddling a canoe on the Black River, a tributary of the Cape Fear River. (Photo: Cape Fear Riverwatch)

  • <p>A Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, or factory farm, flooded by Hurricane Matthew, which hit North Carolina and other Atlantic coastal states in 2016. (Photo: Rick Dove/Riverkeeper Alliance) </p>
    14/19

    #7 Neuse and Cape Fear rivers

    A Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, or factory farm, flooded by Hurricane Matthew, which hit North Carolina and other Atlantic coastal states in 2016. (Photo: Rick Dove/Riverkeeper Alliance)

  • <p>Fly-fishing on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. (Photo: Lee Cohen) </p>
    15/19

    #8 Middle Fork Flathead River

    Fly-fishing on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. (Photo: Lee Cohen)

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  • <p>Going for a swim in the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. (Photo: Lee Cohen) </p>
    16/19

    #8 Middle Fork Flathead River

    Going for a swim in the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. (Photo: Lee Cohen)

  • <p>Algae growth in the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. (Photo: Carol Bitting) </p>
    17/19

    #9 Buffalo National River

    Algae growth in the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. (Photo: Carol Bitting)

  • <p>View of the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. (Photo: Angela Peace) </p>
    18/19

    #9 Buffalo National River

    View of the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. (Photo: Angela Peace)

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  • <p>View of the Menominee River, which runs through Wisconsin and Michigan. (Photo: Tom Young) </p>
    19/19

    #10 Menominee River

    View of the Menominee River, which runs through Wisconsin and Michigan. (Photo: Tom Young)

<p>Lower Colorado River canal in the desert. (Photo: Justin Clifton) </p>
<p>Farming along the Lower Colorado River. (Photo: Amy Martin) </p>
<p>Aerial view of the site for the future Centennial Dam on the Bear River. (Photo: Voice of the Bear River) </p>
<p>Fly-fishing on the Bear River. (Photo: Voice of the Bear River) </p>
<p>A train rolls along a trestle over the South Fork Skykomish River. (Photo: Thomas O’Keefe) </p>
<p>View of the South Fork Skykomish River. (Photo: Thomas O’Keefe) </p>
<p>Casting a net off a pier on the Mobile Bay Basin. (Photo: Mobile Baykeeper Swimmable Water Weekend Photo Contest) </p>
<p>View of Mobile Delta at Five Rivers. (Photo: Charles Seifried) </p>
<p>People enjoying the Rappahannock River in Virginia. (Photo: Harlow Chandler) </p>
<p>Oysters harvested from the Rappahannock River. (Photo: Chesapeake Bay Program) </p>
<p>Green River Valley in Washington as seen from the air. (Photo: Air Cascade Forest Conservancy) </p>
<p>Fly-fishing along the Green-Toutle River. (Photo: Balance Media) </p>
<p>Paddling a canoe on the Black River, a tributary of the Cape Fear River. (Photo: Cape Fear Riverwatch) </p>
<p>A Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, or factory farm, flooded by Hurricane Matthew, which hit North Carolina and other Atlantic coastal states in 2016. (Photo: Rick Dove/Riverkeeper Alliance) </p>
<p>Fly-fishing on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. (Photo: Lee Cohen) </p>
<p>Going for a swim in the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. (Photo: Lee Cohen) </p>
<p>Algae growth in the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. (Photo: Carol Bitting) </p>
<p>View of the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. (Photo: Angela Peace) </p>
<p>View of the Menominee River, which runs through Wisconsin and Michigan. (Photo: Tom Young) </p>
Yahoo News Photo Staff

American Rivers compiled a list of the 10 most endangered rivers in the United States for 2017. Threats range from water demand and global warming to fracking and open-pit sulfide mining. The organization is calling upon the Trump administration and Congress to prioritize and support innovative water management solutions to help protect rivers and clean water, calling it one of the most important conservation issues of our time.

Read more: Lower Colorado River tops list of most endangered in U.S.: ‘The future looks very bleak’ by Michael Walsh/Yahoo News

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