Colorado River Is America's Most Endangered River, According To American Rivers Group

The Colorado River has been identified as America's most endangered river in an annual survey of the health of the nation's rivers.

Demand for water from the Colorado River is outpacing the supply and a recent study by the Colorado's Bureau of Reclamation says in addition to there not being enough water in the river to meet current demands, up to a 30 percent decrease in flow by 2050 will ensure that the river will not meet future demand either.

According to the American Rivers group the Colorado River is so over-tapped that it dries up to a trickle before reaching the sea. The group says a century of water management policies and practices that have promoted wasteful water use have put the river at a critical crossroads.

"This year's America's Most Endangered Rivers report underscores the problems that arise for communities and the environment when we drain too much water out of rivers," said Bob Irvin, President of American Rivers, according to Discovery News. "We all must be part of the solution if we want clean water supplies and healthy rivers for our children and grandchildren."

Most of the rivers on the 2013 list are endangered because of so-called outdated water management, which include efforts to conserve or restore waterways.

Behind the Colorado River, this year's list included the Flint River in Georgia, San Saba River in Texas, Little Plover River in Wisconsin, Catawba River in North and South Carolina, the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, Black Warrior River in Alabama, Rough & Ready and Boldface Creeks in Oregon, Kootenai River, which flows through Montana, Idaho and British Colombia and Niobrara River, which flows in Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.

The 2012 list of most engendered rivers is completely different and encompasses just as wide of a geographic range as this year's list.