American Rivers Clean Water Report

There’s something special about a

Clean water. Fish and wildlife.

World-class recreation.

Great quality of life.

Wild River…

Join the effort to

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he wild rivers of the Pacific Northwest give us all of this and more. They make our region a wonderful place to live and work. We need to safeguard our last, free-flowing rivers — not only to preserve our natural heritage and fish and wildlife, but because healthy rivers provide many cultural and economic benefits to our communities.

protect Wild and Scenic rivers in the Pacific Northwest.

The need to protect these special places is urgent — our region’s free-flowing rivers are threatened by harmful development and the impacts of global warming.

The most effective way to permanently protect our rivers is through national Wild and Scenic River designation.

Wild and Scenic designation: • Safeguards a river’s pure, clean water and outstanding values • Prohibits dams and other harmful water projects • Maintains healthy habitat corridors for fish and wildlife.

Cover: Powder River by Dennis Frates; steelhead by Jeff Bright, www.jeffbright. com; Salmon River raft by Amy Kober.

Intro: Umpqua River by Alan Majchrowicz; crossing the Upper Elwha

by Betsy Carlson; kayaking the Elwha

by Brian Vogt; black bear by Chad Teer on Flickr. Map page: hiker and dog courtesy of Shutterstock. Washington: North Fork Nooksack River by Bonnie Rice; Mount Rainier and Edith Creek

by Scott Church; Elwha River by Scott Church. Oregon: Rogue River rafts by Amy Kober; John Day River by David Moryc; Mount Hood and White River

by Tim Palmer; Sandy River kayaker

by Rich Bowers. Back page: photo by Stephen Voss.

Printed on FSC Certified recycled paper

American Rivers Northwest regional office Seattle: 206.213.0330 Portland: 503.827.8648 www.AmericanRivers.org ARNW@AmericanRivers.org

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merican Rivers was founded in 1973 to increase the number of rivers protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Today, we are the only national organization standing up for healthy rivers so our communities can thrive. Through national advocacy, innovative solutions and our growing network of strategic partners, we protect and promote our rivers as valuable community assets that are vital to our health, safety and quality of life. American Rivers has more than 65,000 members and supporters nationwide, with offices in Washington, DC and the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, California and Northwest regions.

For more information contact Amy Kober, Northwest communications director at akober@americanrivers.org

Protecting our Wild and Scenic river heritage:

Washington

Oregon

American Rivers

Washington is

Oregon is home

is currently

fortunate to have

to more Wild and

focusing on six

six Wild and

Scenic rivers (42)

priority areas

Scenic rivers —

than any other state

in Washington

the Skagit, Sauk,

and Oregon to

Cascade, Suiattle,

achieve new Wild

Klickitat and White

and Scenic river

Salmon — but

designations.

there are at least 100 additional rivers across the state that are eligible for Wild and Scenic designation.

Map Date November 2007

North Cascades

Volcano Country

Olympic Peninsula

he rugged North Cascades give birth to some of the most magnificent, yet largely unprotected rivers in the Pacific Northwest, like the Snoqualmie, Skykomish and Nooksack. Protecting these places will give a boost to Puget Sound salmon recovery efforts and will ensure that this area’s rapidly growing population can forever enjoy the beauty and benefits of healthy rivers.

ashington’s legendary volcanoes — Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams — are the source of wild, free-flowing rivers that rush through deep gorges and basalt canyons on their way to the Columbia. Protecting rivers like the Green, Toutle, Lewis and Cispus will permanently safeguard clean water, fish and wildlife, and this area’s unique natural history.

he Olympic Peninsula is known for its lush rainforests and rivers like the Hoh, Elwha, Quinault and Duckabush. These rivers support some of the healthiest populations of salmon and steelhead in the region, yet they are at risk from new dams and other threats. Wild and Scenic designation will ensure that these rivers remain healthy and freeflowing forever.

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W

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Wild Rogue and Kalmiopsis

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he Rogue River watershed and the streams flowing out of the Kalmiopsis wilderness area support an incredibly rich web of life, including abundant salmon and steelhead runs. We need to expand protection for the tributaries of the Rogue, Illinois, Chetco and North Fork Smith Rivers to preserve the growing economic benefits these streams bring to southern Oregon.

John Day River

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he John Day River is the second-longest freeflowing river in the lower 48 and is home to some of the largest runs of wild salmon and steelhead in the entire Columbia Basin. We are working with local landowners and ranchers to protect the North Fork John Day and to ensure that the river continues to be a refuge for wild salmon, steelhead and other wildlife.

Great Rivers of Mount Hood

in the nation. But

he rivers flowing off the flanks of Mount Hood are some of Oregon’s most pristine. Granting Wild and Scenic protection to 12 rivers and creeks that are tributaries of the Sandy, Clackamas and Hood rivers would protect clean water, fish and wildlife, and excellent fishing and paddling opportunities for over two million people in the greater Portland area.

important rivers and

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streams still lack protection, leaving them vulnerable to a variety of threats.