Photo by David Hanson
Originally published in Columbia Riverkeeper “Currents” Issue 1, 2026
Columbia Riverkeeper is powered by more than 25,000 members and supporters who invest in clean water and a healthy climate because the fight is urgent and the time is now. You accomplished great things.
Clean Water Win
The Clean Water Act is one of the strongest legal tools we have to support our mission and keep pollution out of the river. When we go to court and win, we make polluters pay serious penalties for violating the Clean Water Act. This spring, we secured a major victory for clean water and salmon recovery in our lawsuit against Darigold Inc. We sued the corporation to hold it accountable for years of unlawful pollution at its large dairy processing facility in Sunnyside, WA. Darigold agreed to comply with the law and pay $2 million to Yakama Nation to restore water quality in the Yakima River and offset harm from years of unlawful pollution. We also prevailed in two additional Clean Water Act
enforcement actions this spring.
Photos: Chinook salmon jumping by David Moskowitz. Bonneville Dam by Alex Milan Tracy.
Court Rules for Salmon
In response to a request by Columbia Riverkeeper and our partners, a court ordered additional protections for Columbia River salmon. In granting the additional protections, the court noted that federal salmon policy is moving in the “wrong direction” and scolded Bon-
neville Power and the Army Corps of Engineers for their “disappointing history of government avoidance and manipulation instead of sincere efforts at solving the problem and genuinely remediating the harm.” The upshot: Baby salmon will travel downstream faster and more safely in 2026.
Hands-On Learning
This spring over 800 students learned about the river through Columbia Riverkeeper’s Science & Education program. Through environmental education and hands-on learning, Columbia Riverkeeper explores science, stewardship, and community care with local students like in the above outdoor classroom along the Columbia River. Engagement goes beyond a one-time field trip, as students and their families create lasting connections by joining local volunteers and community members for plantings, river clean ups, and restoration projects to transform a former industrial site into a thriving riparian habitat.
Community Advocacy for Clean Air, River
After sustained community advocacy and support from nonprofits including Columbia Riverkeeper, Drax Group has announced it is pausing plans to develop a large-scale wood pellet facility in the Columbia River community of Longview, WA. Industrial burning of wood pellets for energy is not clean or sustainable. It leads to deforestation, releases dangerous air pollution, and worsens climate change. This pause reflects the strength of Columbia River communities coming together to protect our shared home.
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