How a Changing Climate Is Impacting US River Systems

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Chemistry, Biology, Geography

Provided by The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)

What it is

This short article discusses various climate change impacts on river systems in the United States and the resulting issues related to drinking water, pollution, energy production, and recreation.
Students will learn how changes in river levels, flooding, precipitation, snowpack, and seasonal variability impact US water sources.

Positives

This article thoroughly explains the impacts of climate change on water quality and the threats that U.S. rivers face.
A map shows how climate change impacts the water supply and quality in different regions of the US.

Prerequisites

Although this resource focuses on the US, climate change is also impacting river systems around the world.

Differentiation & Implementation

Students could identify their region using the map and discuss any changes or problems they have noticed with the water supply or water quality in their communities.
Engineering or design classes could discuss how each region should start preparing for water supply problems. Students could work in small groups to design a plan for infrastructure and policies to ensure all people have access to clean drinking water as climate change continues to impact the water cycle.
Other resources on this topic include this interactive mapping tool that shows the path a raindrop will take through the waterways of the Earth, this TED video on granting rivers and lakes legal personhood, and this podcast on water scarcity.

There is no contradiction in the resource. The data is properly cited and the resource is recommended for teaching.

Hosted on neefusa.org

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Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Geography
Language: English
Location: North America > United States
Provider: The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
Authors: The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), Nick Bradford
Published: May 20, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4 + 5 more

Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.2Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

Science

MS-ESS2-4.Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
MS-ESS3-2.Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.
HS-ESS2-2.Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
HS-ESS3-5.Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth’s systems.