U.S. Southeast Rivers and Streams
Safeguarding America's richest source of freshwater
From its clear, cool streams in the Appalachian Mountains to its brackish marshes along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, this freshwater ecoregion, covering nearly 10 percent of the United States, includes a wide variety of habitats and some of the most species-rich freshwater systems in the world. It is also home to hundreds of species of fish, snails, mussels and other invertebrates.
WWF’s vision: Protect and restore the ecological health of the region’s rivers and streams to safeguard natural processes, conserve native species and reach a balance between the needs of people and nature.
The place. The region is geologically complex, inspiring diverse freshwater habitats and wildlife. Its three vast river basins the Cumberland, Mobile and Tennessee—drain portions of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Mississippi.
The species. The rivers of the Southeast are among the world’s richest river ecosystems: they support more than 250 species of crayfish and 275 species of mussels, and about half of the freshwater species in the United States, including darters, basses, sunfishes and sturgeons. In just one river—Tennessee’s Duck River—there are more fish species per mile than any other river in North America.
The people. These rivers and streams are the centerpiece of a way of life steeped in outdoor traditions—from fly fishing to whitewater boating, and from resting on the shady banks to diving from the classic rope swing. For generations people here have relied on the region’s water resources for food, drinking water, transportation and solace.
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