River Stewardship Institute a Success

Guest speaker Josh Strange, a fisheries biologist for the Karuk tribe, arrived for his presentation wearing a shirt that said it all: “The Klamath… is my home, church, garden, highway, counselor, friend, brother and provider.”  As the week went on it became obvious to all of the participants that the Klamath River is many things to many people. As these unique relationships were examined it became evident how essential rivers are to their surrounding industry, recreationists, and residents.  

During the River Stewardship Institute the participants studied a variety of issues that take place on the Wild and Scenic Klamath River including the current hydropower relicensing process.  The RSI focused the attention of these volunteers on common river issues that the AW staff experience on a daily basis.  Presentations were held on hydro licensing, dam removal, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Wilderness Act, public land management, user conflicts, historic and contemporary cultural resources, Leave No Trace practices, water quality and water rights. 

The RSI participants came from a diverse background geographically, professionally, and academically.  Geographic representation included the East and West coast as well as the Midwest and Rocky Mountain States.  Professional background included a college professor, graduate students studying water resources, raft guides, a watershed coordinator for Americorps, an employee of Kokatat the presenting sponsor for the institute, and in his own terms “a simple farm boy from Indiana.”

In the midst of all this education the group managed to enjoy the Klamath River.  The group rafted and/or kayaked the “Hell’s Corner” twelve mile class IV run along with a three day float trip on the “Middle Klamath” from Happy Camp to Presido.  It was on this river time that local guides from the US Forest Service, a local rafting company The River Dancers, and a representative of the Karuk tribe, could show the group first hand the effects of years of neglect and abuse on the watershed.

So some may ask where does this RSI program go from here?

First we have new well-trained volunteers out in their communities working with American Whitewater leading the charge on local issues.  Expect to see many updates on our website and in the AW journal on all of the work that these folks accomplish. 

Next AW will work on refining the RSI program perfecting the instructional materials and tools.  The toolkit that was prepared for the participants will become an online document to be shared with AW volunteers.

Finally AW will put this finalized curriculum back into action with another River Stewardship Institute expected to take place in the spring of 2006.

AW would like to especially like to thank the trip sponsors for making the institute happen especially Kokatat Watersports Wear the RSI presenting sponsor. 

Special thanks also goes out to the trip sponsors that included the River Dancers, Dagger Kayaks, Lotus Designs, and Smith Optics.