How to celebrate the removal of a dam
Habitat restoration continues where 33 miles of spawning area has been formed after removal of Condit Dam
Should dams be used as giant batteries?
A new Energy Vision reexamines the role Columbia River Basin resources play in our energy future
It’s now or never if the Nation is going to stop Northwest salmon extinction
Leaders of the Columbia River treaty fishing tribes call for unity of purpose in Snake River dams decision
Hatched to be wild: Why Tribes are pursuing a controversial salmon recovery strategy
Fish hatcheries are under criticism. But without the devil’s bargain they offer, some Columbia River Basin Tribes see a threat to their own cultures
Can the Pacific Northwest’s largest waterfall be re-opened to the public?
Oregon’s Willamette Falls is virtually inaccessible. A gargantuan, inter-governmental effort is underway to change that, but obstacles remain
Historic revision to Oregon forest law excludes important group
While legislators and media celebrate much-needed updates to forest protections, Tribal stakeholders say they were left out of the review process (7 min. read)
Salmon are no longer kings of the Columbia. That has biologists worried
A recent report shows an explosion of growth of a non-native species in the Columbia River. What does that mean for salmon and the cultures built on them?
Biden infrastructure funds could address Warm Springs water crisis
Economic relief may finally be coming to Warm Springs Reservation, which has endured years with substandard water
As salmon cook in rivers, pressure on Biden mounts
A historic gathering of tribes from across Pac NW calls on the president to breach lower Snake River dams. House of Tears totem pole arrives in DC today
Warm Springs is creating drinking water out of thin air
New hydropanel technology extracts moisture from the atmosphere, helping alleviate water crisis on the reservation
The fraud that inspired the settling of the Pacific Northwest
Murder at the Mission, a new book by Blaine Harden, examines the Whitman Massacre and upends one of the West’s most enduring legends
Umatilla Tribes lead the way in reacquisition of treaty lands
After deciding the U.S. government was never going to live up to its obligations, a pro-active plan to buy back its lands has brought the Umatilla Tribes national recognition
Opinion: Storage is a critical piece of our clean energy future
The Gorge pumped-hydro project will bring jobs and help grid managers increase energy storage capacity
Opinion: Why the Gorge pumped-hydro project is opposed by the Yakama Nation
Though not opposed to alternative energy sources, tribes have borne disproportionate impacts of green energy development
Under pressure: The Oregon community desperate for water
For more than five years residents of the Warm Springs reservation have gone without reliable access to safe drinking water. Why?
Breach on! Idaho Rep. Simpson calls for removal of Snake River dams
The Republican’s weekend proposal for a massive infrastructure initiative to “end the salmon wars” is sending shock waves through the Columbia River Basin
Warm Springs evaluates carbon sequester project in wake of wildfire
More than half the forest tribes set aside for protection as part of a Cap-and-Trade program have been destroyed by fire
Environmental justice at Hanford: Reconnecting Indigenous people to their land
Inmi Wawnak-shash iwa ichin Ticham-yaw ku ichin Wana-yaw—“This Land and River is my Body." A Yakama Nation member explains why cleaning up Hanford is about more than just public safety
Major acquisition nets Columbia River tribes new clout
One of the Columbia River Estuary’s most significant scientific research operations has a new steward
Remembering a force of nature: Bobby Begay
Bobby Begay died April 24 of COVID-19 complications. He was 51. I met him in 2003 when I was hired to write a newsletter for the U.S. Corps of Engineers as they rebuilt Celilo Village, where he lived.
The Return of Clearwater Coho
Against the odds, the Nez Perce tribe is coaxing coho to return to their ancestral river
Yakama Nation and PacifiCorp reach agreement for lands along the Lower White Salmon River
On Nov. 18, PacifiCorp announced that it had reached an agreement with the Yakama Nation giving them a Right of First Offer on the 289 acres of land
A Tale of Two Cultures
Tribal leaders and elders from the Yakama and Lummi Nations gathered at Celilo Park on Monday, Oct. 14, in honor of Indigenous People’s Day...
The Hanford Journey: A Rallying Point
Sponsored by Columbia Riverkeeper and the Yakama Nation Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ERWM) Program, The Hanford Journey celebrated the legacy of the late Dr. Russell Jim, a Yakama tribal elder who founded the ERWM program and dedicated his life to giving Native American tribes a voice in the Hanford cleanup...
Being Heard Is Half the Battle
The federal government of Canada is inviting three First Nations to participate as observers in the ongoing Columbia River Treaty negotiations between Canada and the United States. And while tribes in the U.S. are still feeling excluded from the negotiating table, they see this development as a step in the right direction...
