Connecting Source to Sea

through adventure, conservation, and education

Rivers for Change is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit made up of passionate river enthusiasts dedicated to changing the way people think about and interact with water. Through adventure, conservation and education, we work to connect individuals and communities to rivers and promote source to sea literacy.

Get Involved

Rivers for Change relies on volunteers to run our organization. We are always looking for new ways to unite people to rivers through shared experiences, stories, and media.

Programs

Source to Sea Grants

We support river lovers who want to share the importance of learning and engaging with rivers from source to sea.

Source to Sea School

In the summer of 2022 we will launch a source to sea literacy training program. Our pilot program will educate the guiding community at Sea Trek with an online environmental training course. By collaborating with guiding communities, we impact more people and deepen the recreational experience.

Community Cleanups

Rivers for Change’s Community Conservation and Stewardship Program (CCSP) involves hands-on community engagement within the local watershed from cleanups to educational paddles.

Upcoming Events

Join us at one of our events throughout the year or help out behind the scenes.

View All Events

Support Rivers for Change

Rivers for Change is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax-deductible. EIN #37-1654861

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The four lower Snake River dams utilize all sorts

The four lower Snake River dams utilize all sorts of “juvenile fish transport” vehicles, fish ladders, “predatory bird deterrents”, and even salmon cannons (look it up on YouTube) to help fish pass through the dams. All funded with U.S. tax dollars.
In 2021 there were 4 wild adult sockeye salmon that made it past all the dams and reservoirs to spawn in the Stanley Basin.
FOUR.
There should be around 9,000.
Do you think these tax-funded efforts are working?
#REMOVETHEDAMS #FREETHESNAKE #FREETHERIVER #SAVEWILDSALMON

Beautiful words and photos by @elizabeth.tobey of

Beautiful words and photos by @elizabeth.tobey of the @salmonsourcetosea team.
"Surreal" feels like the best descriptor for paddling the final miles of the Salmon River after spending a full month in this incredible watershed.
After a solid, stressful week of changing plans due to high water, we decided that making some miles on the Lower Salmon was our best option. This final stretch of the river, like the rest of Idaho right now, is neon green with wildflowers lighting up every ridgeline. And, at 50,000 cfs, it's got a bit of spice to go with the scenery.
On the three-day paddle from Whitebird to Lewiston, we got plenty of high water wave trains, one poorly chosen camp full of cow poop, and a three hour frolick (carrying all our gear) around Slide rapid. As a team, we've had to make plenty of tricky decisions together over the past month, and portaging Slide is undoubtedly one we're all proud of. There's a line, but it's a thin one- and none of us loved the idea of a big, very consequential swim.
Paddling into the Snake River in early evening was remarkably powerful, and marks a big transition for our crew as we leave the high country and headwaters behind.
#thegrandsalmon #salmonstory #sourcetosea #restoretheriver #freethesnake #riversforchange #idahoriversunited #WildFishActivism #StopSalmonExtinction #ItsAllHomeWater

The @salmonsourcetosea team is out here paddling 1

The @salmonsourcetosea team is out here paddling 1000 miles source to sea for salmon, and we have a job for our friends too.
Step 1) tap the link in our bio to fill out the Inslee-Murray Survey on Lower Snake River Dam removal. You don’t need to be a Washington State resident to do this.
Step 2) Write your state representatives, @secdebhaaland @vp and @potus regarding the urgent need to save salmonid species in the Snake River Basin via dam removal.
Step 3) Dance to this jam and get ready for river season, party people!
! #thegrandsalmon #salmonstory #sourcetosea
#restoretheriver #freethesnake #riversforchange #idahoriversunited #WildFishActivism #StopSalmonExtinction #ItsAllHomeWater

Turn your trash into gold! 👉look what a little

Turn your trash into gold! 👉look what a little scrubbing and a paint job can do to repurpose some scooters found on our recent cleanup! Give those items a second chance at life before dumping them!!
#cleanup #repurpose #scooters

The @salmonsourcetosea has launched and is on the

The @salmonsourcetosea has launched and is on the move skiing into their first headwaters!
The core paddling team, @brookehess @_aliasalias_ @elizabeth.tobey @oceansandmountains, are launching on a 1000+ epic journey following the natural migration path of anadromous fish from the rivers of central Idaho to the Pacific Ocean.
Through film, connection, and education, we are sharing the call to action to breach the four Lower Snake River dams and create a moratorium on the Stibnite Gold Project, in order to save Idaho’s rapidly dwindling salmon populations from extinction and protect the communities that are impacted.
We all have the power to create change and the launch of The Grand Salmon Source to Sea is just one example of what happens when people care and collaborate to take action. You too can use your voice and take action to enact change. Whatever your capacity, however you use your voice, take action for the rivers and communities that you care about. It takes a village, and every small drop in the system makes a difference.
To take action and follow along, click the link in our bio!
https://linktr.ee/salmonsourcetosea
@riversforchange @idahoriversunited @brookehess @_aliasalias_ @elizabeth.tobey @oceansandmountains @riverkatz @trent_holen @tessmcenroe @izzygu3
#thegrandsalmon #salmonstory #sourcetosea
#restoretheriver #freethesnake #riversforchange #idahoriversunited #WildFishActivism #StopSalmonExtinction #ItsAllHomeWater #paddleforapurpose

Everyday should be #earthday ! We had such a blast

Everyday should be #earthday ! We had such a blast with @riversforchange and the awesome Mosbey family on supzilla cleaning up the canals around @101surfsports last weekend! 💪🌎 5 scooters, 1 bike, 1 chair and more! Let’s work to repurpose and repair before trashing things! You never know who might want to scoot around town 👉
#litterpick #cleanup #repurpose #repair #rivercleanup #supzilla #riversforchange #paddleforapurpose #earthmonth

Why does the @salmonsourcetosea with @riversforcha

Why does the @salmonsourcetosea with @riversforchange and @idahoriversunited matter so much? The Snake is #2 on @americanrivers Most Endangered List. The chance for action is now! Sign a petition, take a survey, call your senators! https://salmonsourcetosea.com/take-action/
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Repost @idahoriversunited
・・・
American Rivers released their annual list of The Most Endangered Rivers® of 2022 with an urgent call to action that “sounds the alarm that our nation’s rivers and clean water that are in crisis. Climate change and racial injustice are putting rivers and communities nationwide at risk,” says the organization in their press release out today.
“Each of the ten rivers on the list is at a tipping point, facing an urgent decision in the coming months. With leadership from Tribal Nations and frontline partners on the ten rivers, we are shining a spotlight on solutions, and a positive path forward.”
The Snake River is listed at #2, after the Colorado River at #1. The Snake flows through three states: Idaho, Oregon and Washington. American Rivers lists the four federal dams on the Lower Snake River which are Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, Lower Granite as the major threat, putting it high on the list. Tribal Treaty rights and culture, endangered salmon runs, rural communities, and local economies are at risk of losing one of the most prolific salmon runs in history in the Columbia River Basin. This keystone species is now on the brink of extinction, impacting more than 130 other species that rely on salmon for survival.
“We finally sit on the precipice of getting legislation to remove the Lower Snake River dams and undertake history’s largest river restoration campaign. However, your voice is more important now than ever, and we all must act together to let our legislators know that removal of these dams is paramount to any successful salmon recovery strategy. The Snake River can move from the most endangered river list to a model for collaborative conservation,” said Nic Nelson, Executive Director of Idaho Rivers United.
📸 @americanrivers
#idahoriversunited #freethesnakeriver #mostendangeredrivers #salmonrecovery #salmonsourcetosea

Join @salmonsourcetosea, @riversforchange, and @id

Join @salmonsourcetosea, @riversforchange, and @idahoriversunited for a webinar with @advocateswest where we'll discuss The Grand Salmon: A Source to Sea Journey and the connection between conservation and adventure. Register today at the link in our bio!
#VoicesfortheWest #grandsalmon #salmonsourcetosea #sourcetosea #salmon #adventure #paddling #conservation

Shout out to the the badass women of the @salmonso

Shout out to the the badass women of the @salmonsourcetosea team 💪🙌 on International Women’s Day!
No matter what race, gender or background, let’s lift each other up and acknowledge the women of the world.
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We also want to express our deepest sympathy and heartache for the situation in Ukraine and those affected. It feels weird to be promoting this trip when there’s a war happening and destroying lives. Our crew is thinking of what we can do to support and help, and how it makes sense for us to act.
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So in the spirit of being brave, like leaping off of waterfalls in a plastic container, or going to fight for your people on any level, we see you world.
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#internationalwomensday #womensupportingwomen #womenshistorymonth #womenskayaking #salmonsourcetosea #grandsalmon
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📸: @elizabeth.tobey
🇺🇦♥️🇺🇦♥️🇺🇦♥️🇺🇦

We are just under two months from launching on the

We are just under two months from launching on the Salmon Source to Sea!!! We've been working hard behind the scenes on an exceptional line up of special events with an incredible list of partner organizations.
Stay tuned for community paddles, activist trainings, postcard signings, letter writing, paddle and fly fishing clinics, river celebrations, salmon celebrations, educational events, music, meet the team, and more!
Highlight stops currently include Stanley, McCall, Salmon, Riggins, Lewiston, Tri-Cities, Hood River/White Salmon, Portland, and Astoria.
Tag your friends or connections in these areas in this post so they can be sure to follow along as we release more info in the coming months. If you would like to explore potential event partnerships/sponsorships with our team please fill out our Partner Interest form (link in @salmonsourcetosea bio).
Visit www.salmonsourcetosea.com for more ways to get involved, take action, and donate!
Huge shout out to our growing list of event partners for their amazing support! We couldn't do it without you! 💚
@idahoriversunited @riversforchange @protectingnimiipuu @great_old_broads @savethesouthfork @savewildsalmon @vibetribeadventures @salmonnation @backbonecampaign @_idaho_adventures @sweetwaterhollow #bigwaterblowout
#thegrandsalmon #salmonstory #salmonsourcetosea #sourcetosea
#restoretheriver #freethesnake #riversforchange #idahoriversunited #WildFishActivism #StopSalmonExtinction #ItsAllHomeWater

Meet Samara, one of @riversforchange amazing Board

Meet Samara, one of @riversforchange amazing Board Members and a Program Support Volunteer for the @salmonsourcetosea campaign!
Samara (she/her) simply loves rivers. When her Golden River Tutu comes out, so does her inner child. You'll find her riding a boat stack through a deep rapid and passing out bubble wands to her fellow paddlers. Her joy with rivers guides her passion to protect them. This means she's wader-deep with water testing probes, simulating erosion experiments with middle school students on river banks (and then cleaning them up!), and reflecting on inclusive engagement strategies in regular meetings with the Grand Salmon team. She's a board member with @riversforchange and currently writing a handbook with the organization on planning source to sea expeditions as a means of change-making, and dreaming of what's next...
Visit the link in our bio for more ways to get involved and support the campaign!
And thank you Samara for all the amazing things you help with! 😁🙏
@raftavist
#thegrandsalmon #salmonstory #sourcetosea
#restoretheriver #freethesnake
#riversforchange #idahoriversunited

Meet our co-founder and director Danielle Katz. Sh

Meet our co-founder and director Danielle Katz. She is currently working on the @salmonsourcetosea campaign. A #sourcetosea dream of massive collaboration of communities and organizations upstream and down, storytelling, education, adventure, conservation and the opportunity to really make a difference for our rivers!
・・・
Meet more of the Core Support Team! The folks who won’t be paddling the entire source to sea journey but who play an integral part to the planning logistics, outreach, partnership management, event planning and more.
Danielle Katz (she/her) is the co-founder and director of @riversforchange one of the lead organizational partners for The Grand Salmon.
She is the official #sourcetosea nerd of the group, having been completely obsessed with them since her first 2,271 mile journey down the length of the Mississippi river in 2009. Since then she has been involved with paddling or coordinating over 17 campaigns that use source to sea adventures as a catalyst for conservation and education.
She loves following drops of water downstream, allowing them to shed light on our interconnectedness and interdependence and wants everyone to have an innate understanding of our watersheds and which river is plumbed into our houses-ie What river do you shower in?? 💦 (let us know in the comments below!) 😀
In addition to her work with Rivers for Change, Danielle is a passionate climate educator and circular economy advocate with an MBA in environmental management, founder of @sourcetoseaproductions, and a producer of several short educational videos on science, waste, single-use plastic, and well-being.
Fun Facts: Danielle grew up on rivers and her conservation career started at 4 months old when she floated on one of the last sections of a free-flowing Stanislaus river before it was flooded behind a dam. She has a trustworthy river companion who has joined her around the world on various rivers and in various kayaks, rafts, canoes, and SUPs, a little rubber duck named Izzie whom she is currently writing a children's book series about @izziesadventures
#grandsalmon #sourcetosea #paddleforapurpose #connectthedrops @riverkatz

10 years ago Rivers for Change completed our first

10 years ago Rivers for Change completed our first source to sea on the Russian River as part of our ambitious 12 Rivers in 2012 campaign.
We partnered with @rriverkeeper for an education day in schools and a community paddle day on the water.
A few takeaways from that trip include:
1. In order to build a long-lasting and wonderful relationship with your co-founder be sure to wrap your canoe within the first 250 meters of a trip for some solid team building 😝
2. If a campsite is unexpectedly closed for winter and you have to sleep in a parking lot hope you get awoken in the middle night by an understanding sheriff (once you explain your situation of no where else to go) 😬
3. Get comfortable with portaging. A lot... 💪
4. Passing by people nestled in their houses watching tv while you paddle by in the dark and pouring rain-provokes not a feeling of envy but rather one of pity for those trapped inside. #optoutside whenever you can. ⛺️
5. There is a unique feeling of euphoria, accomplishment, relief, sorrow, and grandeur that washes over you at the completion of a source to sea. It includes a sense of total awe and gratitude for the interconnected drops of water that have safely provided you with passage from the source all the way downstream to the sea. 💦
6. Attempting to take off a drysuit in the passenger seat of a moving car is not recommended especially if you're cold, hungry, and are prone to uncontrollable laughing attacks. 😅
7. These journeys create long lasting friendships and priceless memories.
We've learned a lot since those early days, having been involved with over 17 source to sea's as a way to engage and connect communities in education and conservation. We're thrilled to use the knowledge we've gained over the last decade as a leading partner with @idahoriversunited on the #thegrandsalmon campaign. Be sure to get involved and follow along @salmonsourcetosea
What are some of your favorite #sourcetosea stories?
You can check out more about the 2012 Russian River trip on our website: https://riversforchange.org/category/russian-river/
#ThrowbackThursday #RussianRiver #lessonslearned #paddleforapurpose

So excited to announce the launch of an epic #sour

So excited to announce the launch of an epic #sourcetosea project with @salmonsourcetosea
Support + follow along (link in bio 👆) on this incredible journey as a team of women paddle the Salmon River from the source to the sea this coming spring, promoting the removal of the four Lower Snake River Dams and a moratorium on the Stibnite Gold Project. They will be ski touring and paddling 1,000+ miles from the sources of the Main, Middle, and South Forks of the Salmon, all the way to the Pacific Ocean, and creating a film about rapidly declining Chinook and sockeye salmon populations of the Snake River Basin, and our chance to save them from extinction by removing the four Lower Snake River Dams and stopping the Stibnite Gold Project.
We’re thrilled to be partnering with @idahoriversunited 🙏as our fiscal sponsor and local advocacy partner and are overwhelmed at the gracious support we’ve received so far from sponsors, partners, and donors!
The core paddlers include @elizabeth.tobey @brookehess and @_aliasalias_ with an epic support crew of @riverkatz @tessmcenroe @rrhodges and @raftavist
There are tons of ways to get involved so give this campaign a follow and join in the conversation! What’s your #salmonstory?
#paddleforapurpose #sourcetosea #salmonriver #snakeriver #columbiariver #freethesnake #riversforchange #thegrandsalmon

Huge shout out and a giant thank you to @101surfsp

Huge shout out and a giant thank you to @101surfsports for hosting a fabulous benefit paddle race for @riversforchange yesterday! It was a great day and we were able to collect some extra trash that was flushed out from the tsunami. We raised $3000 to support our projects of connecting people to rivers through source to sea adventures, conservation, and education. Thanks to everyone who came out for your support! 🙏 #riversforchange #paddle #race #cleanup #sourcetosea

Join us on Saturday for a fun charity paddle race

Join us on Saturday for a fun charity paddle race @101Surfsports as a benefit for @RiversforChange! Perfect for first time racers! Capped at 75 people. Don't miss out. Link in Bio. #riversforchange #101surfsports #paddlerace #bayarea #fun #racing #paddling #kayaking #sup #surfski #paddleforapurpose

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! 🎆 Feelin

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! 🎆 Feeling so much gratitude toward this amazing group of volunteer board members and to YOU for your support over the last 10 years! Here’s to the next 10!
www.riversforchange.org/donate
#sourcetosea #rivers #paddling #riversforchange #natureconnection

Last Chance for 2021 Giving! Support Rivers for Ch

Last Chance for 2021 Giving!
Support Rivers for Change with an end-of-year gift. Donate today! https://riversforchange.org/donate/
In a time when our disconnection from nature is becoming more and more apparent for being at the root cause of our individual, collective, and planetary un-wellness, Rivers for Change seeks to connect us again to rivers, to water, to our communities.
Using adventure as a way to bring people together and serve as a catalyst for conservation and stewardship, this organization believes in creating a more holistic world where every person is an active and passionate river steward. A world where drops of water bring us together and we understand the interconnectedness and interdependence of all things.
Our well-being and that of the planet depend on integrating this holistic view. Will you join me in supporting Rivers for Change and help amplify our message drop by drop?
#riversforchange #sourcetosea #rivers #natureconnection #optoutside #sourcetosealiteracy #wellbeing #stewardship #environmentaleducation #paddling #seethechange #reconnecttorestore

Two of our favorite supporters SupZilla and Paddle

Two of our favorite supporters SupZilla and Paddle Bear are supporting @Riversforchange this #givingtuesday to support our work to increase source to sea literacy through adventure, conservation, and education. Will you join them?
#support #givingtuesday #riversforchange #paddling #kayaking #optoutside #education #conservation #rivers #protectourrivers #loveourriver #stewardship

Last Chance for paddle swag! Ends tomorrow Nov 20t

Last Chance for paddle swag! Ends tomorrow Nov 20th at 10am! Limited Tickets! Link in Bio 👆
First Prize: a @stellarkayaks Stellar Pro-Mid-Wing Paddle(valued at $475)
Second Prize: a $200 gift certificate from @epickayaks Epic Kayaks
Third Prize: a Vaikobi VXP Race PDF's (valued at $140) provided by On the Water 360 @onthewater360
Please make a donation of $25 in order to participate (multiple tickets may be purchased). The drawing will be held in person Nov 20th at 101 SurfSports (but no need to be present to win!). There is a cap of 100 donations, so don't delay if you want some of this swag!
We will ship within the USA if you are not local. Otherwise, you will need to arrange and pay for shipping costs.
Your donation supports Rivers for Change source to sea literacy education and conservation programs.
@vaikobi
@101surfsports
#paddling #racing #kayaking #surfski #opportunitydrawing #riversforchange #stellarkayaks #epickayaks #onthewater360 #vaikobi

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