Canada's most endangered rivers ranked

Dams and causeways threaten New Brunswick's Petitcodiac River, which environmentalists rank as the most endangered river in Canada.

Strong tides from the Bay of Fundy influence the river and its tributaries, according to Earthwild International and Wildcanada.net.

List of the country's most endangered rivers: Petitcodiac River, New Brunswick Eastmain River, Quebec Okanagan River, B.C Taku River, Iskut River, B.C. Groundhog River, Ont. Milk River, Alberta Peel River, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories Red River, Manitoba Churchill River, Newfoundland and Labrador Bow River, AlbertaSource: Earthwild International and Wildcanada.net

Failure to remove a causeway and replace it with a bridge has clogged the river's powerful tidal bore, the report said.

The groups rate the environmental risk to Canada's 10 most threatened rivers, based on nominations from community groups, environmental groups and individuals.

"They fill out a form explaining the ecology of the river, the area it goes through, the threats to the river, and some action plans that they have that being on this list would help them further," said Earthwild executive director Nola Poirier.

• RELATED STORY: Riverkeeper turns attention to marsh (CBC New Brunswick)

• RELATED STORY: Red River threatened by agriculture: environmental group (CBC Manitoba)

The group ranked the Eastmain River in Northern Quebec as the second-most threatened, saying it faces pressure from hydroelectric development.

Development, drainage and damming on the Okanagan River in British Columbia contributed to its third-place ranking. The report calls the Okanagan an ecological hotspot and says the basin is home to one of the country's greatest diversity of species.

FROM JUNE 17, 2002: Group names Canada's most-threatened rivers

The group also plans to release action plans outlining ways to help the rivers.