Merrimack River Named Among Top Threatened U.S. Rivers

To no surprise, high pollution threatens the Merrimack River

I call the Merrimack River home for a number of reasons.  My family owns and operates a boat that calls it her home port.  I also live on the Merrimack River.

So it pained me to see that (according to a new article posted at WCVB.com) the Merrimack River ranks at #8 among the most threatened rivers in the U.S.

This is no surprise to me.  Growing up in the Merrimack Valley, we all knew of the issues that faced the Merrimack River for years.

I've seen everything from telephone poles and parts of cars pop up in the water over the years.

And who can forget the issues a five years ago when those white filters popped up everywhere?  I still find those every now and then, by the way.

With each ranked river, lies a different problem.  Anything from damming issues to outdated water management.

Here's the list:

1. Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin

Located: Alabama, Florida, Georgia

Threat: Outdated water management

2. San Joaquin River

Located: California

Threat: Outdated water management

3. Susquehanna River

Locate: Pennsylvania, Maryland

Threat: Harmful dam operations

4. Smith River

Located: Montana

Threat: Mining

5. Green-Duwamish River

Located: Washington

Threat: Outdated dam and floodplain management, pollution

6. Pee Dee River

Located: North Carolina

Threat: Harmful dam operations

7. Russell Fork River

Located: North Carolina: Kentucky

Threat: Mountaintop removal mining

8. Merrimack River

Located: Massachusetts, New Hampshire

Threat: Polluted runoff

9. St. Lawrence River

Located: New York

Threat: Harmful dam operations

10. Pascagoula River

Located: Mississippi, Alabama

Threat: New dams