Mississippi River deemed most endangered river in U.S., conservation group says

A conservation organization has named the Mississippi River as the largest part endangered river in the country Every year the advocacy group American Rivers publishes a list of the U S rivers it considers the majority at liability Topping this year s list is the Mississippi which provides drinking water for million people It supports agriculture and industry and is home to more than species of fish and wildlife It also has major historical and cultural significance provides a transportation path for shipping and recreational opportunities for tourists boaters and anglers The group says the Mississippi faces a large number of threats including increased flooding and inadequate tragedy prevention and response It cites latest cuts to the Federal Crisis Management Agency and earlier calls from President Donald Trump to abolish the agency We cannot turn our back on Mississippi River communities or the wellness of the river millions depend on at this critical time when they need unified direction instead of uncertainty at the national level Mike Sertle central region director for American Rivers disclosed in a news release Flooding hasn t been a issue along the Minnesota stretch of the Mississippi this year But the river faces other challenges including impurity from agriculture declared Whitney Clark executive director of Friends of the Mississippi River All that water flowing off of our agricultural landscapes is carrying pollutants he declared It s carrying sediment It s carrying nutrients Clark declared farm drainage systems have exacerbated flooding and garbage We have millions and millions of cropland acres that are plumbed to move water off the fields as speedily as viable to keep the plants growing he declared Planting cover crops helps prevent erosion and nutrient runoff that ends up in the Mississippi Clark stated The University of Minnesota s Forever Green Initiative is working to develop winter oilseed crops that keep the soil covered year-round and can also be turned into sustainable fuel Other probable threats include aging dams and a proposed underground nickel-copper mine in Aitkin County which Clark revealed poses risks to the Mississippi and St Croix River watersheds Related Articles Your clothes are shedding bits of plastic Here s what people are doing about it this Earth Day years after Deepwater Horizon oil spill lawsuits stall and restoration is incomplete Proposed NOAA cuts put Great Lakes research safety at exposure experts say Minnesota environmental nonprofits join forces for Earth Day fundraising event The return of an extinct wolf is not the answer to saving endangered species experts warn