River Solutions Program

Goal: We seek new answers to long-standing water questions by researching and promoting alternatives to new dam proposals and advocating for proactive protection of the values of our most outstanding river resources.

We are motivated by the basic values of accountability and fairness - our rivers should be here for the future, whether for wildlife or people. It is fundamentally unfair to take water from people today or from the people of the future when there are alternatives. We know we can do better, that the days of the old-fashioned ‘solutions' of dam and divert are dying, and that our generation will be held accountable for the decisions we make now about river protection.

Today alternative ways to protect our rivers while improving our economies and quality of life surround us. A shift to a new way of thinking about our water future and about the things that make us proud to be Utahns has begun. We are driven by a desire to see the shift to new solutions happen before they are forced on us by the loss of things we love - like our rivers and the communities that rely on them.

River Solution Projects

1. Supporting wise water use in the municipal, industrial, and agricultural arenas.
2. Advocating for protection of river flows for wildlife and recreation.
3. Protecting the best of Utah's rivers under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

River Defense Program

Goal: We speak for rivers threatened by ill-conceived dams and diversions, pollution, and other threats.

Utah's rivers are an especially unique and valuable resource. As the second most arid state in the nation, water takes on a special significance for the people and wildlife of Utah.

However, our actions do not reflect the incredible importance of our rivers. New dams are still considered by many to be the only way to plan for our future. In 2002, Utah led the nation in the number of water polluters violating their pollution control permits. Our water quality standards are weak and don't adequately protect public health or wildlife. And new threats to riparian habitat and the values provided by rivers pop up constantly.

The Utah Rivers Council believes careful stewardship of our rivers is central to conserving Utah's beauty and ecological integrity. We advocate the public's interest in debates about the future of our water supply and rivers. We work to enforce existing laws to protect our clean water sources, and advocate for stronger protections of public health and habitat. We strategically address broader issues that affect our rivers' habitats and health.

River Defense Projects

1. Stopping ill-conceived dams and diversions on the Bear, the Price, and other rivers.
2. Advocating for clean, safe water through policy and polluter watch-dogging.
3. Defending riparian habitats and values in key watersheds around the state.

Community River Advocacy

Goal: Connect the people of Utah with their rivers and provide them with support in order to create a broad network of citizens ready and able to speak for their rivers.

Most Utahans are not connected with their backyard river - let alone with rivers generally. Although public opinion research shows that water quality and water supply are top tier concerns, few citizens know where their water comes from or how they can protect it.

The Utah Rivers Council has identified a need to connect Utahans to their local rivers and to provide the support Utahans need to speak for their rivers. People who have visited a river and learned something about its values feel a sense of stewardship for the river. People who feel a sense of stewardship are more likely to become involved in protecting rivers. And when citizens become involved in the debate about the future of Utah's rivers, better policy decisions are made on everything from pollution discharge permits to funding river restoration.

Community River Advocacy Projects

1. Reaching out to potential river stewards through river cleanups, Explore series river outings, and other activities.
2. Developing a River Activists group that speaks out for Utah's rivers.
3. Providing the tools, training, and support Utahns need to advocate for their rivers.
4. Creating a vibrant volunteer program to support all of our river programs.