Book Description Contents
Book Description

Photographer and writer Tim Palmer has spent more than 25 years researching and experiencing life on the waterways of the American continent. He has travelled by canoe or raft on more than 300 different rivers, down wide placid streams and rough raging rapids. His journeys have taken him to every corner of the country, where he has witnessed and described the unique interaction of geographical, historical, and cultural forces that act upon our nation's vital arteries.

America by Rivers represents the culmination of that grand adventure. Palmer describes the rivers of America in all their remaining glory and tarnished beauty, as he presents a comprehensive tour of the whole of America's river systems. Filled with important new information as well as data gathered from hundreds of published sources, America by Rivers covers:

  • the network of American waterways and how they fit together to form river systems
  • unique features of individual rivers along with their size, length, and biological importance
  • environmental problems affecting the rivers of different regions and what is being done to protect and restore them
  • cultural connections and conflicts surrounding the rivers of each region
Chapters address the character of rivers in distinct regions of the country, and each chapter highlights one river with a detailed view from the water. Rivers profiled include the Penobscot, Potomac, Suwanee, Minnesota, Niobara, Salmon, Rio Grande, American, Rogue, and Sheenjek. Eighteen maps guide the reader across the country and 100 photos illustrate the splendor of Palmer's fascinating subject.

America by Rivers provides a new way of seeing our country, one that embraces the entire landscape and offers fresh avenues to adventure. It is compelling reading for anyone concerned about the health of our land and the future of our waterways.

Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Way to the Water
 
Chapter 1. Rivers of the Glaciated Notheast
Chapter 2. Appalachian Rivers of Green
Chapter 3. Rich Waters of the Coastal Plain and South
Chapter 4. The Midwest: Flowing against the Grid
Chapter 5. Sky-Filled Rivers of the Great Plains
Chapter 6. Rocky Mountain Lifelines
Chapter 7. Rivers of the Deserts and Drylands
Chapter 8. Brilliant Waters of the Sierra Nevada
Chapter 9. A Land of Rivers in the Northwest
Chapter 10. The Wild Rivers of Alaska
 
Appendix 1: The Largest Rivers in America
Appendix 2: Long, Undammed Sections of Rivers
Appendix 3: Rivers Canoed or Rafted by the Author
Sources
Index