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Counter Culture

Trouble Right Here in River City

By Josh Sevin
10 Nov 1999
Read more about: dams | energy | rivers and watersheds | United States | all of these topics
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  • 5,270 large dams blocked rivers in 1950


  • 36,500 large dams block rivers today


  • 17 percent of U.S. rivers are currently dammed


  • 600,000 miles of rivers in the U.S. have been impounded behind dams


  • 235,000 miles of rivers in the U.S. have been channelized


  • 25,000 miles of rivers in the U.S. have been dredged for navigation


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  • 80 percent of river water in California is used for irrigation


  • 87 percent of river water in Arizona is used for irrigation


  • 25 percent of U.S. dams are older than their life expectancy of 50 years




    • Sources:
    1,2 -- World Resources Institute
    3-7 -- American Rivers.

    Read more about: dams | energy | rivers and watersheds | United States | all of these topics
    Tools: print | email | discuss | write to the editor | subscribe | RSS
    Josh Sevin is a graduate student in MIT's planning program. Previously, he was an editor at Greenwire environmental news service and a researcher for U.S. News.
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