Celebrating 30 Years of:

Advocacy, Restoration, River Cleanups & Community Engagement!

For the past 30 years, Russian Riverkeeper has fought for the health of the ecosystem of the Russian River and its nearby tributaries, and for drinkable, swimable, fishable for all. Throughout our history as advocates of the Russian River, we have achieved many great milestones.

Taking a Look Back on Highlights of the Past Three Decades

 

Pollution Prevention

                    • 2003: Caught mining firm dumping waste material into stream channel under the un-approved revegetation project, Hosts “Pipe Schemes” at the Raven Theater, a forum on Santa Rosa’s wastewater plans for the Russian River. Riverkeeper becomes coordinator for the Russian River First Flush citizen monitoring program. monitoring 36 sites in urban creeks across the watershed with over
                    • 200 trained volunteers.2005: Tracking issues such as mixing zone policy development, county, and city code changes to reduce stormwater pollution, and educating the community on the need to protect the Russian River.
                    • 2016-2021: Launched Clean Camp and Clean Creeks programs, with polluter mitigation funds. Programs involve working with the unhoused community in efforts to clean encampments along the river. RRK’s Clean Team trash program removed over 215,000 pounds of trash from the river in 2021. RRK is currently engaging over 220 unhoused individuals in our Clean Camp program and providing them with weekly trash service to help them manage their trash.

 

Fighting For Change

  • 1995: Filed notice of intent to sue the state of California over violations of the Public Trust Doctrine in the Russian River, which led to the creation of a Watershed Council of stakeholders to work on a comprehensive watershed management and fishery restoration plan.
  • 2008: Partnered with California Coastkeeper Alliance on the State Recycled Water Policy and now have turned that policy into new permit language slated for adoption locally.
  • 2023: Led the environmental caucus for the Vineyard Permit Development Technical Advisory Group that the North Coast Waterboard is developing to reduce sediment pollution. Joined California Coastkeeper Alliance in challenging the County’s Well Ordinance update to protect salmon and existing well owners from going dry.

 

 

Restoring Our Enivorment 

                      • 2005: Launched the Foss Creek Community Restoration Project with community partners Hotel Healdsburg, Alexander Valley Vineyards, and Puma Springs Vineyard. A Community Foundation of Sonoma County anonymous grant launched the Creekkeeper Academy to train 24 Creekkeepers each year to serve two years monitoring a section of the watershed.
                      • 2017-2020: Protected the watershed from toxins produced by thousands of burned structures during the fire installing over 23 miles of 20-foot-long straw wattles after Tubbs, Kincaid, Walbridge, and Glass fires to help salmon and downstream well owners. Provided advice and assistance to over 80 members of the community.
                      • 2012-2023: Helping lead the project team for the Hanson Floodplain Restoration Project that will convert the 360-acre Hanson property with four polluted gravel pits into floodplains that protect us from climate change impacts. The Hanson Project will increase groundwater recharge, provide an off-ramp for pollution, and restore our once-abundant salmon populations.

 

Our efforts over the past 30 years are made possible with our volunteers, donors, staff, and all supporters of the longevity of the Russian River. Thank you!