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Aerial view of Fredericksburg, Virginia on Rappahannock River at sunset after storm with rainbow

See which U.S. rivers are considered the most endangered

The list of 10 most endangered rivers of 2025, according to the nonprofit American Rivers, includes the Mississippi River and the lower Rio Grande.

Apr 15, 2025

"Rivers are places where souls heal." Mismanaged, they can be devastating.

"Rivers are places where people's souls heal," says Heather Taylor-Miesle, senior vice president of conservation at non-profit American Rivers. But many of those rivers in the U.S. are in danger. Pollution, flooding and mismanagement are rampant across U.S. waterways, and this year, 10 rivers have been listed among American Rivers' most endangered. But Taylor-Miesle says that while those threats persist, so does hope — as long as communities take action.