Tell Congress to prioritize climate resilience for western rivers and communities

Rivers across the American West are threatened like never before. After a century of mismanagement, overuse, and unsustainable practices, rivers do not have the resiliency needed to survive the impacts of climate change that we see intensifying before our eyes.

Use your voice today to tell Congress that it is past time to rethink rivers. We cannot keep repeating the mistakes of the past and hope they will bring a better future. We must chart a new course for rivers across the West. It is vital to the future of all life.

Join the fight for climate resilient rivers by signing the petition today.

Photo Credit: Jen Pelz

Recipients

Your U.S. Representatives and Senators

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Message

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Dear Decision Makers,

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I am very concerned about the state of rivers across the American West.

Earlier this year, scientists concluded that the "megadrought" in the western U.S. over the past two decades is the worst in at least the past 1,200 years. Scientists also found that, fueled by climate change, these conditions are 40 percent more severe and will last longer than they would have otherwise.

This aridification of the American West, combined with a century of unsustainable water use, are creating the crisis that is playing out today. Rivers are vanishing, species are going extinct, recreational and agricultural economies are threatened, and communities are left vulnerable without access to drinking water or waterways that are essential to their culture and quality of life.

These hot and dry conditions are here to stay and we need you to invest in rethinking rivers with the goals of: 1) reducing demands to a sustainable level; 2) creating opportunities for water sharing and conservation to ensure climate resilience; 3) prioritizing the reallocation of water and funding the infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of historically marginalized communities; 4) removing and/or changing operations of existing infrastructure to reconnect habitat for essential migration of species like salmon and steelhead, improve water quality, and restore the culture and heritage of the region; and 5) ensuring that water is available for ecosystems as a right, not an afterthought.

For too long we've taken these arteries of life for granted. It is time for you to champion an investment in bringing these river systems back into balance for both people AND the environment. As the pandemic has revealed, we all need clean and healthy rivers for both our physical and mental wellbeing. It is time to recommit to healthy rivers and clean water for this and future generations.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Your Email]