Spokane Riverkeeper: Protector of the River this Earth Day and Beyond

Advocacy, cleanup, and community action

By Taylor Shillam

As guardian and advocate for the Spokane River, Spokane Riverkeeper’s mission is to “protect, preserve, and restore the Spokane River for future generations.” This Earth Day and beyond, Spokane Riverkeeper supports and advocates for the river, its fish, and its wildlife. 

“We create community connections to the river that lead to stronger environmental protections via restoration, cleanup, and policy,” says Jule Schultz, Waterkeeper at Spokane Riverkeeper. “Last year, Spokane Riverkeeper removed 68,000 pounds of garbage from the Spokane River with 2,300 volunteers. That information, and the associated data will be submitted to advocate for a cleaner river.” 

The organization uses a similar strategy to monitor sediment in the river. “Community science volunteers collect water samples that document the sediment pollution originating in Hangman Creek on the Spokane River that we analyze and submit to the Washington State Department of Ecology,” Jule says. “We also play a vital role in policing pollution and advocating for stronger river protections. We recently added Katelyn Scott to our team, our Water Protector, who is also a lawyer and understands the role of the Clean Water Act in defending our river.” 

The mission behind Spokane Riverkeeper is anchored in the belief that the river and its health reflect the Spokane community and its priorities. "We have made great strides towards a healthy river in the past 15 years, but we have a long way to go," Jule says. "Challenges like toxic PFAS threaten our river, fish, and the people that depend on them — and the litter on our river banks never seems to go away." 

Each year on Earth Day, Spokane Riverkeeper organizes a family-friendly river cleanup. On April 19, the community is invited to gather at High Bridge and People’s Park to clean up trash that could otherwise end up in the river and potentially harm its inhabitants. 

“This is our third official Earth Day River cleanup, although we've cleaned up the river every Earth Day since our founding in 2009 – just not in such an organized fashion,” Jule says. “We usually have about 350 people that collect 9,000 pounds of trash!” 

This year, Spokane Riverkeeper has invited community partners to set up tables at the event. “We even have a coffee truck attending!” Jule says. “We hope participants will stay after they clean up and learn about the amazing work other organizations do for our river and community.”  

Spokane Riverkeeper keeps the community updated with fun events posted to their online event page, designed to connect the public to protecting the river through science, recreation, and more. 

“Another way the community can support is by making sure to stay informed about river issues,” he shares. “The easiest way to do this is to sign up for our email list. Equally important is connecting with the river in your meaningful way; a walk along its banks, floating in the summer, or fishing are all ways of connecting with the river, allowing the public to understand the importance of a healthy river." 

Join Spokane Riverkeeper this Earth Day, April 19, at 10 am for the annual Earth Day River Cleanup. Learn more and sign up to participate at SpokaneRiverKeeper.org.