News and Updates

Celebrating a Decade of Recovery on the Elwha River

From Hydropower Reform Coalition  |  9/15/2021

This week we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Elwha River Restoration project and the commencement of dam removal on the Elwha River. The removal of Elwha Dam and Glines Canyon Dam represents the biggest dam removal effort in the United States; reflecting back on that achievement after a decade has passed we are witness to a river that has made, and continues to make, a remarkable recovery.

Idaho’s 2021 salmon and steelhead returns are abysmal. What is happening?

From Idaho Rivers United  |  9/22/2021

This year’s returns for Idaho’s salmon and steelhead have been abysmal. Columbia Basin steelhead returns are the lowest ever recorded since salmon run counts began at Bonneville Dam in 1945, falling 57% short of the already anemic pre-season run predictions. Fishing closures and restrictions have been implemented throughout the region, impacting guides, outfitters, and the […]

Rising River Temps Imperil Threatened Salmon

From South Yuba River Citizens League  |  9/20/2021

We are well into another year of a drought here in Nevada County and its impacts are being felt throughout the watershed as reservoirs continue to recede and wildfires proliferate. As we have written about in previous articles here and here, the drought is also affecting the Yuba and the species that call it home, […]

Anglers, hunters and outdoor recreation companies to Biden administration: The dams must come out

From Trout Unlimited  |  9/16/2021

The hunting and angling community is opening a new front in the campaign to restore Snake River salmon. This month, Trout Unlimited joined dozens of fish and wildlife groups and major outdoor recreation companies in calling on the Biden administration to develop a comprehensive solution to the collapse of salmon and steelhead populations that includes removing the four dams on the lower Snake River and investing billions of dollars in a reimagining of infrastructure in the Northwest.

Indigenous History in the White Mountains: An Interview with Abenaki Chief and Elder Paul Bunnell

From Appalachian Mountain Club  |  9/13/2021

Long before the Crawfords cut their namesake path to Mount Washington’s summit and brought the first tourists to New Hampshire’s White Mountains in the 19th century, the Indigenous Abenaki Tribe called these mountains home. The Abenaki considered Agiocochook—now widely known as Mount Washington—so sacred that climbing it was forbidden. The natural world provided the Abenaki […]

Regional Conservation Groups Resolve Litigation Over Water Quality Impacts Caused by the Hells Canyon Complex

From Idaho Rivers United  |  9/7/2021

For Immediate Release September 2, 2021 Media Contacts: Greg Haller, Pacific Rivers: greg@pacificrivers.org and (208) 790-4105 Nic Nelson, Idaho Rivers United: nic@idahorivers.org and (208) 343-7481 Regional Conservation Groups Resolve Litigation Over Water Quality Impacts Caused by the Hells Canyon Complex The settlement forces the state of Oregon to develop a plan to limit dangerous methylmercury […]

ARA’s Executive Director’s Testimony to the EPA

From Alabama Rivers Alliance  |  9/2/2021

On September 2, ARA’s executive director, Cindy Lowry, submitted verbal comments at EPA’s Public Hearing Revising the Definition of “Waters of the United States”. Click here to watch a recording of the hearing [link coming soon!] My name is Cindy Lowry and I am the Executive Director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, a statewide nonprofit […]

Alabama River Journey 2050 by Scot Duncan

From Alabama Rivers Alliance  |  8/31/2021

Join the journey with our friend Dr. R. Scot Duncan as he takes a trip down the Cahaba River in 2050. “[ARA’s Water is Life Zoom Talk] exercise inspired me to share a vision of how I hope our rivers—and our state—will be late in my life. Our rivers today are wonderful, and they provide […]

NYFP’s Proposed Action & the NEPA Process

From South Yuba River Citizens League  |  8/30/2021

On or near September 10, 2021, the U.S. Forest Service will release the Notice of Intent for the North Yuba Landscape Resilience Project Environmental Impact Statement (the NOI). The NOI provides: 1) A description of the purpose and need of the project. The purpose and need of the project were developed by not only the […]

AW Launches Wildfire Info Map: See Which Rivers Are Affected by Fires

From American Whitewater  |  8/26/2021

By: Scott Harding It’s become increasingly clear in recent years that wildfires are becoming more frequent, larger, and longer-lasting. Many areas of the country have been affected, particularly the West and this includes our whitewater rivers and their watershed. Until now, there has not been a way for whitewater enthusiasts to easily view active wildfires […]