Upper Mississippi River listed among most endangered

ST. LOUIS (AP) - An environmental organization says the Upper Mississippi River is among the most endangered rivers in the U.S.

American Rivers on Tuesday released its annual report that lists the Gila River in New Mexico as most endangered, followed by the Hudson River in New York and the Upper Mississippi.

The report cites threats to public safety and river health posed by "climate change and illegal levee raises" on the Mississippi River in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. The organization urges federal and state agencies to resolve levee violations, blaming illegally raised levees for destroying fish and wildlife habitat and making flooding worse downstream.

American Rivers says climate change is causing more frequent and severe flooding. The Mississippi is currently well above flood stage at several towns in the three states.