Extreme weather is transforming the worldβs rivers. We need new ways to protect them
Rivers support billions of people but are among the least protected parts of nature. A major review shows what needs to be done as climate change accelerates.
A piece we wrote for The Conversation that associated with our recent paper "Extreme events and river biodiversity
under climate change" in Nature Reviews Biodiversity @jdtonkin.bsky.social @tdatry.bsky.social and others
Read-only link: rdcu.be/e4Dkv
doi.org/10.64628/AA....
25.02.2026 00:44
π 17
π 4
π¬ 1
π 3
Yep ... definitely not an outlier in my world either.
16.02.2026 16:37
π 0
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
@uwenvironment.bsky.social @uwsafs.bsky.social @cig-uw.bsky.social
10.02.2026 17:45
π 0
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
Super happy to have @ulaskimarta.bsky.social joining us at @uwsafs.bsky.social! Looking forward to working together!
05.02.2026 20:18
π 1
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
Mismatches between invasive species policy, which relies on administrative borders, and scientific research conducted at ecological units complicate regulation, risk assessment, and biosecurity. Here we explore some solutions.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
05.02.2026 16:20
π 5
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
βͺAnother wonderful CESAB FOOD-WEBS working group meeting in Montpellier! Super productive and creative time together. Funding: @frbiodiv.bsky.social
26.01.2026 04:03
π 6
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
Improving How We Track Progress For River Protection
Rivers have relatively less protection than do land or oceans and we lack effective mechanisms for measuring protection. A new study offers an improved mechanism for tracking progress.
River need greater protection, but to date our methods for tracking protection status have been limited. In this post I describe a new method from @oldenfish.bsky.social @americanrivers.bsky.social and Conservation Science Partners - the Protected River Index
www.forbes.com/sites/jeffop...
22.01.2026 20:32
π 1
π 1
π¬ 0
π 0
So glad that you investigated this issue! PISS is crappy, and it needs to be called out.
13.01.2026 16:31
π 2
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
π£οΈ MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: Over 80% of our nationβs 4.4M miles of rivers arenβt adequately protected!
Our brand new peer-reviewed research with Conservation Science Partners published in Nature Sustainability shows just how vulnerable our rivers are.
β‘οΈ Learn more: www.americanrivers.org/npra-explore...
10.01.2026 19:46
π 16
π 8
π¬ 0
π 0
Expanding river-specific protections, such as new federal and state Wild and Scenic Rivers and Outstanding Resource Waters, would ensure effective, durable protection measures tailored to rivers.
09.01.2026 18:18
π 0
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
Individual states can promote river protection through new or strengthened riparian buffer legislation, administrative rules, or agricultural/forestry best practices. Protecting rivers flowing through private lands, such as those offered by easements or land trust acquisitions/agreements, is key.
09.01.2026 18:18
π 0
π 0
π¬ 1
π 0
Federal public lands have an outsized role in protecting rivers nationwide, and multiple-use lands provide a major opportunity to scale protections; weakening or eliminating existing environmental policy mechanisms would undermine these safeguards.
09.01.2026 18:18
π 2
π 0
π¬ 1
π 0
Protection often does not coincide with other conservation objectives, where only a small fraction of watersheds with high biodiversity, habitat intactness and importance to drinking water supply are adequately protected.
09.01.2026 18:18
π 1
π 0
π¬ 1
π 0
Protection is overwhelmingly driven by land-based mechanisms, which are often spatially misaligned with hotspots of freshwater biodiversity and may inadequately safeguard rivers from upstream threats. Protection is also uneven across river types (intermittent rivers less protected) and geographies.
09.01.2026 18:18
π 5
π 2
π¬ 1
π 0
Americaβs rivers are alarmingly under protected. Just over one-tenth (12%) of rivers in the contiguous United States and less than one-fifth (19%) nationwide are currently protected at a level deemed viable, while two-thirds remain entirely unprotected under the mechanisms assessed in this study.
09.01.2026 18:18
π 1
π 0
π¬ 1
π 0
Image of river protection status in the United States
National assessment of river protection in the U.S.
Article: doi.org/10.1038/s418...
Policy Brief: doi.org/10.1038/s418...
Rivers Explorer: map.myriver.americanrivers.org
Collaboration b/t American Rivers, Conservation Science Partners, Univ WA @americanrivers.bsky.social
Thread π | DM for PDF
09.01.2026 18:18
π 38
π 25
π¬ 1
π 0
Unraveling multipredator impacts in salmon-bearing rivers using quantitative DNA metabarcoding. A wonderful collaboration with @jwinkfish.bsky.social.
@uwsafs.bsky.social @uwenvironment.bsky.social @uwfreshwater.bsky.social
π
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
19.12.2025 16:00
π 18
π 11
π¬ 0
π 3
A huge congrats Tim!
10.12.2025 15:44
π 1
π 0
π¬ 1
π 0
I enjoyed your talk Miguel. It was early for me (6:30 am), but it was well worth it!
28.11.2025 01:40
π 0
π 0
π¬ 1
π 0
Nah ... I end up buying caps on eBay. I mostly use uncrimped caps (i.e., before they are used).
25.11.2025 00:59
π 0
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
Late night, but there is no better feeling that having stable isotope samples all prepped! βοΈπ
24.11.2025 15:27
π 20
π 0
π¬ 1
π 0
Finally found some time to reconnect with my caps. Red swamp crayfish in all its glory. Adding it to my office wall! @newbelgium.bsky.social @pikebrewing.bsky.social
24.11.2025 03:55
π 11
π 0
π¬ 1
π 0
Sunrise from UW SAFS @uwsafs.bsky.social. Not a bad way to start the day! βοΈ
21.11.2025 15:22
π 11
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
Thanks Corey!
13.11.2025 19:32
π 0
π 0
π¬ 0
π 0
Is Facebook fueling the online trade in aquatic invasive species?
Survey of hobbyists indicates that over half engage in peer-to-peer organism exchange, transport across state lines & release them into the wild.
AI Podcast: open.substack.com/pub/oldenfis....
Paper: www.reabic.net/journals/mbi...
13.11.2025 15:55
π 7
π 2
π¬ 1
π 0
The current website of the US Department of Agriculture. What a nightmare.
06.10.2025 21:25
π 4
π 0
π¬ 2
π 0
I've been proud to serve as the faculty leader for this effort. It has been a pleasure to interact with passionate students and emerging science communicators for many years now! We publish annually. I encourage you to check out past issues and follow! @uwsafs.bsky.social @trevorabranch.bsky.social
28.09.2025 21:48
π 16
π 7
π¬ 1
π 0