Ten Most at Risk Rivers in the United States

American Rivers has released their list of the ten most at risk rivers in the United States.  The rivers are the

1. Potomac River
2. Green River 
3. Chattahoochee River 
4. Missouri River 
5. Hoback River 
6. Grand River 
7. Skykomish River 
8. Crystal River 
9. Coal River 
10. Kansas River

The above links go to a cover page with links to full reports on why American Rivers feel the river is at risk.

The causes of the putting the rivers at risk but patterns do emerge.
    3 - Dams
    3 - Pollution from Resource Extraction
    1 - Excessive Water Withdrawal
    1 - Industrial, commercial, and residential runoff pollution
    1 - Dredging
    1 - Poor flood management

The excessive water withdrawal is threatening several rivers in the Interior West as well.  The book Cadillac Desert discusses in great detail the history and present-day battle over water use and the artificiality of the American Southwestern urban boom and I highly recommend it for a better understanding of putting rivers at risk to feed this boom.