River Republic: The Fall and Rise of America's Rivers

by Daniel McCool

Daniel McCool not only chronicles the history of water development agencies in America and the way in which special interests have abused rather than preserved the country's rivers, he also narrates the second, brighter act in this ongoing the surging, grassroots movement to bring these rivers back to life and ensure they remain pristine for future generations.

The culmination of ten years of research and observation, McCool's book confirms the surprising news that America's rivers are indeed returning to a healthier, free-flowing condition. The politics of river restoration demonstrates how strong grassroots movements can challenge entrenched powers and win. Through passion and dedication, ordinary people are reclaiming the American landscape, forming a "river republic" of concerned citizens from all backgrounds and sectors of society. As McCool shows, the history, culture, and fate of America is tied to its rivers, and their restoration is a microcosm mirroring American beliefs, livelihoods, and an increasing awareness of what two hundred years of environmental degradation can do.

McCool profiles the individuals he calls "instigators," who initiated the fight for these waterways and, despite enormous odds, have succeeded in the near-impossible task of challenging and changing the status quo. Part I of the volume recounts the history of America's relationship to its rivers; part II describes how and why Americans "parted" them out, destroying their essence and diminishing their value; and part III shows how society can live in harmony with its waterways while restoring their well-being―and, by extension, the well-being of those who depend on them.

Genres: Nonfiction

408 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[brinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have any interest in the US history of river development, READ THIS. Besides having the best last name, McCool has the history of rivers down pat(at least, as far as since Europeans started settling the US), and he presents the information in an inviting way. He approaches development from a wide perspective, which makes this a clear rendition of the difficulties in issues such as dam removal, restoration, flood management, subsidies, and how we can avoid future disasters due to near-sighted management. His optimism is key, and his ideas for how we can fix the policies and work from where we're at is refreshing.

[Charlie · Rating 2 out of 5]

McCool definitely chooses an important topic, though not such an original one as he makes out. People have worried about the future of the US water supply (especially in the West) for quite a while now. I started the book with a great deal of excitement due to its topic, but I ended up finding it disappointing. McCool struggles to develop a coherent thesis throughout the work. He tells interesting stories of river restoration projects around the country, and his enthusiasm infects the reader, but he gives insufficient details to serve as a guide for prospective instigators. Likewise, he makes arguments about the various uses of rivers, but really only devotes meaningful ink to the recreational (both physically and spiritually) aspects of waterways. He purports to believe that dams and similar construction projects can sometimes effect the best use of a waterway, but he fails to include any examples of satisfactory projects in the main body of his text. Just claiming to see his opponents' point of view doesn't actually constitute doing so.
In terms of writing, McCool starts competently, but he loses efficiency as he progresses. The thread of the argument loses clarity, and his word choices often indicate confusion about meanings. Throw in convoluted phrasings and poorly-chosen anecdotes, and the whole work starts falling apart. The good intentions and clear enthusiasm fail to cover the poor execution. A bottom-up revision with the purpose of focusing the work on a single objective could probably turn this collection of research an interviews into a powerful work, but for now I would recommend reading a different work on the topic.

[Rachel Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an informative & enjoyable read. Daniel McCool did an excellent job intermixing history, facts/statistics, and personal anecdotes. He brought the characters to life as much as possible, a great tactic for highlighting the variety of stakeholders, instigators, & decision-makers in the context of American waterways. Although this book was published nearly 10 years ago in 2012, the historical context was great & satisfied my curiosity about dams & our relationship with rivers. I did my own research to learn about what ended up happening with some of the “current” situations that McCool discussed. His positivity was inspiring; just educating myself made me feel very hopeful as somebody who works in the field of natural resources. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who wants a well-rounded understanding of the nation’s historical relationship with water & how it has evolved/is evolving!