Unlock the Wonders of America’s Rivers: National Rivers Project Puts the Perfect Adventure at Your Fingertips

National Rivers Month is here -- the perfect time to embark on a new river adventure. But with the variety of state and federal agencies managing rivers, boaters and anglers may have to sort through dozens of websites and maps just to figure out where to go.

“About a decade ago, we were discussing this conundrum and thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be convenient if that information were in one place?’” said Risa Shimoda, Executive Director of the River Management Society. “Today, we’re excited to share that it is! It has become a staple for river trip planning, serving tens of thousands of people each year.”

On the National Rivers Project (NRP) website, people can easily shop North American rivers, filtering by difficulty and related activities. The site’s interactive map and directory currently feature 68,000 miles of boatable rivers and water trails and 15,000 access points. In contrast to crowdsourced maps, all the information in the NRP is vetted by managing agencies.

“It is wonderful to have river access information in one easy-to-use database,” said Katy Kuhnel, an Outdoor Recreation Planner with the Bureau of Land Management, one of dozens of NRP data partners. “Now, you can zoom in a particular region and filter for sections that match your search. For example, if I want to find intermediate whitewater on a Wild and Scenic River with a campsite, I can easily narrow my options and begin trip planning.”

Once a site visitor identifies the sections they would like to visit, they will find related links for more information such as in-depth descriptions, dam releases or fishing information.

The River Management Society (RMS) launched the National Rivers Project in 2015 to increase visibility for Wild and Scenic Rivers, water trails and whitewater sections. RMS continues to publish river data by state and region in partnership with managing agencies nationwide.

The River Management Society is a 501c3 non-profit organization whose mission is to support professionals who study, protect and manage North America’s rivers. RMS provides resources, training and networking opportunities to its members, including the National Rivers Project. Powered by authoritative data in the National River Recreation Database, this online map and search engine enables tens of thousands of recreationists to discover new river sections each year. For more information, contact Bekah Price at bekah(at)river-management.org.

Published June 21, 2023

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