We kick off our events:

May 19th: with a Community Conservation Paddle Day from Redding to Anderson on the Sacramento River with a BBQ afterwards sponsored by Headwaters Adventure. Bring your own boat or jump in a raft sponsored by North Country Raft Company. More info and register at http://cal100communitypaddle.eventbrite.com

May 25th: The California 100. A one hundred ultra-marathon around the clock paddle race down the Sacramento River from Redding to Chico. http://www.riversforchange.org/california-100/

May 26th: The day after (or day of for some) that the racers have finished paddling we’ll have a BBQ and awards ceremony at Woodson Bridge (near Corning). It’s an event open to the public, there will be food, beer, and a silent auction (take a sneak peak-http://www.riversforchange.org/california-100/cal-100-auction/) there might be something you want

May 27th: Join us and the Sacramento Preservation Trust for a River Cleanup! We’ll put-in right where the Cal 100 takes out, travel a few miles downstream and pick up trash along the way. We’ll then head over to the famous Scotty’s Landing for Door Prizes and Live Music. More info and register at :http://sacrivercleanup.eventbrite.com

This month, let’s think about where our water’s coming from, where it’s going and how it plays a role in our lives as well as our neighbors.

We hope you can join us or get out and enjoy a waterway near you,
The RFC Team

Water Writes Klamath Mural Video

Born from a collaboration between the Klamath Justice Coalition and Bay Area’s Estria Foundation:

“The mural portrays the story of the removal the dams from the Klamath River. Dancers are painted bringing balance back to the river with their world renewal ceremony. To their left are images of past industry and the effects left on the land and water; mine tailings from hydraulic mining, toxic algae from industrial farming and hydroelectric dams, and the fish kill of 2002. To their right, is the vision of a future healthy river after the largest dam removal project in human history is complete; salmon are swimming strong, people are fishing and harvesting, and trade is strengthening the community. Coyote is represented in the center as a catalyst for change. The mural is completed by a frog foot pattern border, to symbolize healing.” ~Nancy Hernandez, Water Writes Mural Project Manager

Many artists and community members contributed to the completion of this project in the Amayav Farmers Market of Orleans, CA. The Klamath River Mural is one of ten planned projects around the globe as part of the Estria Foundation’s #WaterWrites mural series which highlights community access to safe drinking water, river restoration and waterways conservation. The series aims to link international communities in creatively raising consciousness about these issues.

Last year, Rivers for Change helped spotlight the Klamath as a part of their 12 Rivers Campaign. Traveling the river from source to sea while engaging communities in stewardship and conservation. We look forward to following the progress of Estria Foundation’s international #WaterWrites mural series as well as celebrating the Klamath River’s continual restoration.

More Information:

Estria Foundation #WaterWrites Project: http://www.estria.org/water-writes/

Klamath Riverkeeper: http://www.klamathriverkeeper.org/

Klamath Justice Coalition: http://klamathjustice.blogspot.com/

Rivers for Change Klamath River Source to Sea: http://www.riversforchange.org/sourcetosea/12-rivers-campaign/the-rivers/klamath/

Rivers for Change hosted a successful 21st Cow Patty Pageant Paddle Race on February 2nd! We had a fabulous turn out and almost matched our record number of paddlers with 51 people out on the beautiful Estero Americano. Race results can be viewed here. 2013 CPP Results
If you haven’t checked seen some of the photos from the Cow Patty you can do so on the Rivers for Change Facebook page. Feel free to tag and share!

There have also been a few videos compiled:
Helen put together this recap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpolh1XMUss&feature=youtu.be
And Carter nailed almost all of you paddling across the finish line, in case you want to evaluate your form at the end of a race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AtLuO5ULzU

Many of you have started training for the Cal 100. Remember there are pre-race trainings happening with Carter Johnson to help you prepare. Visit calriver100.com for more info and to register for the race if you haven’t already.

Our 2013 Source to Sea campaign will be taking place in May on the Sacramento River. Follow along as the Rivers for Change Source to Sea Team makes their way from the top of Mount Shasta to the Golden Gate Bridge under human power.  We will be hosting several community events along the way. Check out our website, riversforchange.org,  for up to date info as these events get under way.

The CPP benefited RFC, Sonoma Land Trust, and the Valley Ford Volunteer Fire Dept.

Your support helps Rivers for Change to engage people with their rivers and promote conservation through grassroots community collaboration.

We look forward to seeing you on the water again soon.

Paddles up!

This is the River to Reel, the second annual lower Yuba River paddle hosted by Rivers for Change in conjunction with the South Yuba River Citizens League’s (SYRCL) 11th annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival in Grass Valley and Nevada City, CA. The Hawaiian kids were there as young film makers who had had several of their environmental movies accepted as part of the film festival. Check out their projects HERE. They were seven in a group of 28 people who braved chilling temperatures to meander down a river full of history.

Gary Reedy, SYRCL’s science program director, filled us in on the recent past of the Yuba River and why it looks just plain weird. The region was a hot bed of hydraulic mining during the gold rush. Miners shot water cannons into the river banks and mountain sides to flush out gold causing 684 million cubic yards of sediment to be removed from the Yuba watershed and transported downstream. Having a hard time putting meaning to that number? Try this: Picture a 100 mile stretch of 20 ton gravel trucks lined bumper to bumper, filled to the brim with gravel, rock and earth. Now make the width of that line five miles wide. This sediment flowed to the confluence of the Yuba and Feather River, then south into the Sacramento River where it eventually sank into the San Francisco Bay Delta choking out wetlands and causing concern for shipping commerce.

These mining processes also piled cobbles and earth up into a maze of strange hills, ridges and pools, pinching the river down to the narrowest edge of a flood plain that was once two miles wide. SYRCL is currently working to restore the floodplain, which is still heavily impacted by the hydraulic sediments and dredger mining.

On the banks, the sun has thawed us and everyone is piled three layers deep in Patagonia fleece and Kokatat shells. Reheated and cozy, the kids forget they’re not in Hawaii, we take to our boats and off we float. We are all amazed. We see Bald Eagle, King Fisher, the air is quiet and crisp. We portage Daguerre dam and lunch above it, contemplating this out of date concrete relic. Gary discusses SYRCL’s latest fight against a proposed hydro-electric expansion at this dam site that would further threaten near extinct salmon runs on the Yuba. Dave Steindorf of American Whitewater is on hand to explain the benign appearance of what is actually a deathly reversal of the low overhead dam- and the reason we are portaging.

We’re completely warm after carrying the boats around the dam. The last few miles flow effortlessly and the afternoon shadows draw long. The Hawaiian kids, who arrived shivering and nervous, spend time at the take out sitting quietly by the river, watching the sun dip from between the willows, making a connection. They tell us how much they enjoyed the day. The bond they made with the Yuba after one day of paddling reminds us how important our efforts are to save and restore our rivers, for ourselves and for them.

Even though this river has been bound, choked, and nearly drained it still flows on and provides us with a place for peace, reflection and enjoyment with our new and old friends. It is the perfect prelude to the Wild and Scenic film festival, from which I will leave thoroughly inspired at what has been accomplished and with grave understanding of the monumental work that lies ahead.

Get involved!
- Learn more and become part of the force against a new dam at Daguerre point and the fight to save the salmon at: yubariver.org
- Join SYRCL on a paddling tour (Salmon Tour) of the lower Yuba River in the fall for a great chance to see firsthand the “weird”, wonderful riverscape and one of the last best wild spawning runs of Chinook salmon in the Great Central Valley.

TAKE ACTION NOW: Clicking Here to send and email to the Bureau of Reclamation telling them you DON’T want Shasta Dam to be raised.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation wants to hear what you think about their proposed plan to raise the Shasta Dam and expand the reservoir. The raising of the dam would flood parts of the McCloud and upper Sacramento Rivers. You’ve got until Monday, January 28th to comment on the proposal.

The Rivers for Change Source to Sea Team will be traveling the entire length of the Sacramento River in May of 2013. They will be stopping along the way to engage communities in river related events like paddle days, BBQs and Art at the River. It will be a great time, but first you have to do your part to help us keep the rivers flowing!

The Bureau is examining up to an 18.5 foot raise of Shasta Dam that would periodically flood nearly 1.5 miles of the McCloud and upper Sacramento Rivers. Both streams were identified by the Forest Service as potential National Wild & Scenic Rivers and the McCloud is protected under state law from dams and reservoirs. At stake are the rivers’ nationally famous wild trout fisheries, as well as outstanding scenic, geological, and Native American cultural values (particularly for the McCloud).

In addition, the project will drown thousands of acres of National Forest land managed for recreation and wildlife, and permanently destroy habitat for dozens of protected wildlife and plants. The project will change flows downstream in the lower Sacramento River, which could decrease the health of the river corridor and wildlife. Endangered fish in the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta will have less chance of survival and may be pushed to extinction as a higher dam holds back the water they need to survive.

If you are interested in more details, Click Here to be transferred to Friends of the River website.

Your email is needed TODAY to convince the Bureau that this project should be stopped!
Take Action!

During the past year, I have dedicated myself to co-founding and growing an amazing new non-profit, Rivers for Change. It started with a vision, an ambitious idea to paddle 12 rivers in 2012 from source to sea, an inquiry into how to marry adventure with conservation, and the desire to make a difference. We are driven towards creating a world where people and communities are active stewards of river systems with a holistic understanding of their interconnectedness and interdependence.

Our mission is to connect people to rivers through river journeys, activities and adventures; engage in collaboration within and between river communities; and promote stewardship through river-based education. We were founded in the fall of 2011, and had a successful first year accomplishing many of our goals:

• ~ The RFC Team paddled down 9 rivers and over 1,600 miles from Source to Sea. (We have less than 250 miles yet to paddle on 3 partially completed rivers, and are just waiting for flows or legal clearance to finish them).
• ~ We engaged individuals, paddlers, and communities across the state through paddle days and events.
• ~ We presented environmental issues to elementary classrooms and engaged people in conversations about rivers.
• ~ We collected algae samples for scientific researchers monitoring global climate change.
• ~ We assisted the Native Plant Society in discovering populations of six rare plant species in the San Francisco Bay Delta,
• ~ We gained the support of and partnered with 12 other nonprofit organizations focused on preserving and improving the health of our rivers and building community collaboration.

Our work in 2012 was done on a shoestring budget, and most expenses were out of the pockets of the dedicated Rivers for Change team. We hope you can help us fund our ambitious 2013 programs with a donation. These include:

• ~ A focused in depth source to sea trip on an emblem river of CA, the Sacramento. We will start with a climb up Mount Shasta and finish by paddling under the Golden Gate Bridge. We will invite communities, along the way, to join us both on and off the water for special events and educational presentations.
• ~ We are creating California’s first 100-mile paddle race on the Sacramento River, attracting paddlers from around the country.
• ~ We will host the Cow Patty Pageant, a fun 11-mile paddle race on the Estero Americano in Sonoma County.
• ~ We will hold events with the Native Plant Society, local communities, and organizations throughout the state.

Since we’re a new nonprofit, we are just getting our paddles under us and we could really use your support! A donation of $15, $30,$60, $100, or more enables us to move our vision forward. For more information,or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit: http://www.riversforchange.org/action-2/ or visit us on Facebook.

Thank you, Happy Holidays, and I hope to be on the water soon with you!

In gratitude,

Danielle

~and the Rivers for Change team

Join Rivers for Change and SYRCL for a paddle day on the lower Yuba

Bring your own boat, a lunch, and a change of clothes. Meet at 9am at Hammon Park. We will then unload gear at the put in and then run a shuttle to the take out. Paddle goes rain or shine, so  please dress warmly, bring appropriate layers and rain gear for any weather (you may get splashed!). Free, but donations are welcome. If you need a spot in a boat there is a small additional rental fee, $10 for adults, $5 for minors. Minors must be accompanied by a Guardian and know how to swim. Participants will be required to sign a liability release.

The paddle will be from Hammon Grove Park to Hallwood Blvd (about 7.5 miles). It is a class I/II section with a required portage around Daguerre Point Dam, which is the site of a proposed new hydropower project. You will also have an opportunity to view one of SYRCL’s innovative restoration projects, and view gold mining tailings (viewable from outer space) left over from hydraulic mining.

It’s the perfect chance to get on the river and learn about the Yuba River with SYRCL’s River Science Director before enjoying a weekend of inspiring films at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival.

Please register online at: http://rfcyubapaddleday.eventbrite.com/

In addition RFC will be presenting a workshop in the Activist Center.

Saturday the 12th, 9:30-10:30am, Rivers for Change: 12 Rivers in 2012
To build a better picture of California rivers in their entirety, Danielle Katz and John Dye set out to travel the length of 12 California Rivers from source to sea in one year. The purpose was to marry high adventure with a conservation message and build continuity among communities along their watersheds. A group of kayakers and photographers comprised the headwaters team to tackle the class V waters of the upper rivers. Another group, including Katz and Dye joined in to complete the lower reaches. Along the way, the groups collected citizen science data, shared paddle days with communities and documented their travels. Join Katz and Dye as they present the challenges and triumphs of their journey: Racing to float on rivers that were quickly drying up during a drought year, balancing the efforts of data collection with traveling on a schedule, encountering water unsafe for swimming and mysteries of disappearing rivers.

You can read it below!

Spangler_RfC_Rareplants essay

Rivers for Change 12 Rivers Campaign: Weitchpec to Requa on the Klamath

I had been traveling down the Klamath River from Iron Gate dam for the last 9 days. With 140 miles down and 40 to go, I was stuck. My paddling partner had pulled out early due to a chronic injury and I was down a shuttle and a safety net. My research had pulled up little beta about this last reach of river other than it was rarely paddled due to the long shuttle, high winds, and few rapids.

The guidebooks said the rapids eased after the small village of Weitchpec and they did for the most part, but being new to whitewater kayaking I was still anxious to tackle this unknown territory solo. Adding to my anxiety were the persistent warnings about bears.

A shuttle miraculously worked itself out via the Weitchpec Store, a local fisherman and a small fee. Relieved, I set off packed into a Jackson Rogue kayak for my two-day jaunt, outfitted for the cooler coastal weather in Kokatat layers.

This magical section of river is embedded with a strong sense of spirit as it runs

through the native Yurok tribe reservation. The Yurok name means “down river people” and some of their villages along the Klamath date back to the 14^th century. Rock formations and side creeks all pulled at me as I wondered at the majesty, depth, and history of such a sacred place.

This lower section of river, like much of the length of the Klamath, never feels completely isolated. There is the din of a road not far away, scattered houses, fishermen, and in the last stretch, throngs of tourists enjoying the river by jet boat.

Nevertheless, I was happy to be there, paddling solo, setting my own rhythms with each stroke. A few rapidsthe first morning get my heart beating; the kayak handles differently fully loaded. I question myself if this is really such a good idea. After the fact, of course, the relief and sense of accomplishment always seems to wipe out the fear from the moment.

 The wind is barely present and I’m in no rush to make miles. I enjoy the abundant wildlife and transitory scenery with herons, egrets, eagles. Twenty miles upstream of the ocean, the first harbor seal pops up from the water to greet me. The not so elusive bear I had been warned about shows up across the bank from my camp as I put my dinner away for the night. After a brief river-wide stare down, my shout sends it scampering up the hillside.

After passing under the HWY 101 bridge, and with several more miles to go before reaching the sea, the wind and tide momentarily whip up and stop me in my tracks. I put on my Kokatat shell to offset the increased spray, down a food bar, and paddle on.

 The confluence of river and ocean is spectacular. A giant rock formation guards the merging of waters and I am again overwhelmed at the power of this place. Enjoying the moment for what it is, I think about how far this water has traveled to get here. How many dams and reservoirs it crosses, how many communities it passes, how much life it supports. The flow of a river is a primal connector between us all.

Rivers for Change’s ultimate goal is manifested a few days later at Klamath Riverkeeper’s community paddle – more than 40 people came out from this sparsely populated region to connect to the river on the water. Learning about the threats to our rivers is essential, so is being part of the solutions. Both stem from developing personal relationships with the river. These rivers speak to us. Will we speak for them?

Klamath Blog by Haven LIvingston

I met up with Danielle, founder of Rivers for Change, and her friend, Season, after they had already been on the river for a couple of days. The heat caught me unprepared and when I arrived at our meeting point, it was obvious that it had taken a toll on the two of them already. Each was splayed out in her own tent hiding from mosquitoes and wishing for a breeze. I was shocked again when I went to the river to cool off, finding it tepid and barely refreshing. “Yeah,” Danielle said as I joined them again with a disappointed look on my face, “Welcome to the Klamath River in summer time.”

Season and Danielle had put in on the Klamath River just below Iron Gate dam, where Paul Gamache, acting as a Rivers for Change ambassador and completing his own source to sea bid, had recently completed the upper section of the river. We knew that the whitewater between Iron Gate and the sea was relatively benign and had planned to use our time on the river for more than just thrills.

Season and I had joined Danielle not only as river people, but also as colleagues who wanted to know how we could put our individual expertise into Rivers for Change to help it grow into a successful and sustainable organization. RFC is near completing its first year of existence and its campaign to travel the length of 12 rivers in 2012 from source to sea.

Having perspective of a whole river is an experience most people will never get, and it’s certainly not what most people think about when they turn on the tap or water their lawn. We spent our days together floating over the warm algae strewn waters, rafting up over the flats and pulling out a notebook to brain storm ideas. It was, perhaps, an unusual place to hold such meetings, but somehow it seemed perfectly appropriate and inspiring. Before the riffles and rapids could smear the ink, we would tuck them away, disband and enjoy the ride. We all took note of how easy it was to take for granted the sections of rivers that have been set aside to free flow and how whitewater enthusiasts like ourselves often never give more than a fleeting thought to what struggles the river is going through up or down stream.

We pulled supplies out again in the evenings, continuing discussions about how to engage people with their watersheds. It struck me as odd that we had seen very few people actually on the river, even though the days were hot and access was easy. Season pointed out the signs they had seen near put in warning against using water for cooking and questioning its safety for bathing due to high bacteria counts and algae.

Who wants to swim in that?  I had gone for a long swim, only to have my clothing stench so bad of dead fish that I had to wash them repeatedly to remove the smell. I wasn’t going to do it again. 

This fall marks the 10^th anniversary of the catastrophic fish kill on the Klamath. It was the largest adult fish kill in U.S. history and it was due to low warm water conditions created when the Bush administration officially overturned salmon restoration efforts in the Klamath River in favor of agribusiness interests. Conditions are ripe this fall for that same level of devastation to what scientists are forecasting as a record return to the Klamath River of 380,000 Chinook salmon. If people aren’t supposed to get in the water, how are salmon supposed to survive in it?

People of the Klamath are pulling together to lobby for higher water releases from the reservoirs to prevent a fish

kill, but it’s high time we take a broader look at the root of the problems and take a watershed approach to solving it. The three of us were just passing through the Klamath, but we got the take home message.Knowing the entire story of a river gives us a better picture of whether it’s healthy, sick and how to help it. Traveling its length from top to bottom is the first step in getting to know it.