A River Runs Through It

Rivers run through myriad U.S. cities, many of which coalesced around waterways as their cores. Recently, those cities have begun transforming these vital stretches from industrial working zones and neglected landscapes into pleasantly parklike spaces. Many of these projects place as much emphasis on restoring ecosystems as on providing an urban amenity. For example, whereas the factory-lined Buffalo Bayou in Houston ailed from neglect and persistent subtropical flooding, the South Platte River in Denver suffered at the hands of hundreds of polluters; today, both waterways are places where habitat and recreation coexist, with attractive redevelopment and new construction overlooking the waterways.

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