Ohio River Restoration and Protection

Restoring the Ohio River: A Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity

The Ohio River flows through Marietta, Ohio.

The Ohio River runs 981 miles from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Cairo, Ill., supplying drinking water to over 5 million people, providing a home for fish and wildlife, and serving as the foundation of the region’s cultural and economic identity.

The Ohio River and the rivers and wetlands that feed it provide drinking water to millions of people, but they face serious threats such as sewage contamination, toxic pollution, mine waste, inadequate water infrastructure, farm runoff, invasive species, and flooding. The National Wildlife Federation is working with partners to develop an action plan to address these issues, before they get worse and more expensive to solve.

Join Us in Restoring the Ohio River

The National Wildlife Federation is collaborating with local, state, and regional partners throughout the Ohio River basin to develop a bold plan to restore and protect the waters of the 14-state Ohio River region, which includes Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The plan seeks to address health-threatening pollution, reverse environmental injustices, and promote strong local economies.

The Problem: Serious Threats to Drinking Water, Public Health

The Ohio River and waters in the region face serious threats due to sewage contamination, toxic pollution, mine waste, and other problems. Every year the federal government funds programs to address similar threats in the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, Gulf Coast, and other great waters – but not the Ohio River region.

The Solution: New Regional Restoration Plan

There are solutions to address these problems and ensure every person has access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water. The National Wildlife Federation is helping craft a regional restoration plan to confront challenges to the region’s waters, help communities most impacted by pollution, and promote strong local economies.

Urgent Action Needed: Your Input!

NWF is crafting an action plan to restore and protect the waters in the 14-state Ohio River region. We want to hear your ideas. Your voice is essential and your input matters! Get involved today. Attend an online listening session.

A Track Record of Success: NWF Helps Restore Nation's Great Waters

The National Wildlife Federation has collaborated to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay, Florida Everglades, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico. Restoring and protecting the Ohio River basin is a top priority for us.

Centering Community Voices

People impacted by problems deserve a say in the solutions. That’s why the National Wildlife Federation, in collaboration with partners in the region, is holding community listening sessions to get local residents’ voices heard. Public input is vital to inform the clean water and conservation priorities in the Ohio River restoration and protection plan. We hope that you’ll get involved today.