Your Mission
“Get ready, get set, go!” River conservation isn’t a race, at least not the kind in which you compete against other athletes. Protecting rivers is a race against time, and it’s a race we all need to “run” together. The sooner you get started, the better. So, get ready, get set, go!

Get Ready . . .
What does “saving” a river mean? Because every river is different, there can be as many ways to save rivers as there are rivers. To protect your interests in your river, it’s important to understand watersheds and the interdependence of people and elements within them. As population increases, so does the demand for fresh water. If you can identify and understand the positive and negative aspects of changing the environment, you can help develop solutions that benefit everyone concerned.

Many real-life situations that involve pollution and issues of water use create political, social, and economic problems within a watershed. In this activity you’ll focus on an imaginary river whose pollution and water-use problems echo real-life scenarios.

. . . Get Set . . .
You and another student will play the role of one of the people who live near the Mishimarkee River, in the state of Geographia. The governor of Geographia has proposed that a dam be built on the Mishimarkee. (Download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files.) Your team, along with the other characters in this fictional scenario, will debate the pros and cons of building the dam. Your goal will be to reach mutually beneficial solutions for everyone concerned.

First, research your character, using general conservation information, and information about dams. You may create charts, graphs, maps, or other visual displays to help others understand your character’s point of view. (Read the descriptions of the other characters, too, since you’re allowed to ally with other characters during the debate.)

To prepare for the debate, read the scenario and study your character, then consider questions such as:

• What exactly does your character want? Does he or she want the dam? Why or why not?
• What is a reasonable plan for you to obtain what you want?
• How can you persuade others to go along with your plan?
• Where are you willing to compromise?
• People throughout Geographia are concerned that cleaning the Mishimarkee River could raise taxes and lower food and energy production. Is there more than one way to pay for the water treatment that’s needed upstream?
• Are there ways to limit environmental damage from the use of pesticides?
• Can both sides of one issue work for environmental protection without putting people out of work?

. . . Save Your River!
Knowing how river systems work, being aware of issues, and having concern for your river—all these are important. But the most important thing of all is to...

Take Action—Geography Action!
Choose from a menu of activities you can do at home, at school, in your community, or on your computer. Online, you can test your conservation management skills in a Watershed Game or locate your watershed address and learn the status of your river’s health. Or pay your river a visit and do a macroinvertebrate count, an indicator of river health. Or stencil “Do Not Dump” on a storm drain. If you’re concerned about a river in your state, write to your congressman or senators. You can find the Congressional Directory here. (National Geographic Society) (National Wildlife Federation)

Whatever you decide to do, tell us about it! Fill out the Geography Action! survey, and learn what other students are doing for rivers!

“Mishimarkee River” activity adapted from “Guard That Watershed,” in the 1992 Geography Awareness Week’s teacher’s handbook. © 1992 National Geographic Society. Illustration by Barbara L. Gibson.

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Photographs (left to right): Thomson River, Longreach, Queensland, Australia, by Roff Martin Smith; Australia, by R. Ian Lloyd; Sierra Newt, California, copyright Corbis

© 2001 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.