The Stream, May 15: America’s Most Endangered Rivers

The Potomac River is the most endangered river in the United States, according to a new report by the environmental group American Rivers. The annual list of U.S. rivers at risk includes streams in virtually every region of the country. Several are threatened by the same types of activities: energy development or dam- and reservoir-building, according to this interview by The New York Times Green blog.

A severe drought has gripped northeastern Brazil, devastating farm output and triggering fighting in rural areas, AFP reported, citing local media. The drought is said to be the worst in the region in 50 years.

Water shortages in the north of both Mexico and Brazil are aggravating violence and tensions in the two countries, according to this blog post for The Christian Science Monitor.

Amid both drought and flooding in the United Kingdom, the country’s water regulator sent a warning to the water industry to find creative ways to ensure water supplies and to meet the challenges posed by population growth and climate change, the U.K. Press Association reported.

The European Commission plans to launch a pan-European partnership to increase innovation in the water sector, Utility Week reported. If approved, the project will bring together the water industry, small and medium-sized enterprises, the research community, local governments, water-using industries and the financial sector.

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