Friends of the Spokane River

Friends of the Spokane River
Name	Friends of the Spokane River
Formation	1998
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Spokane, Washington
Region served	Spokane River watershed

Friends of the Spokane River

Friends of the Spokane River is a nonprofit watershed advocacy and conservation organization based in Spokane, Washington, focusing on protection and restoration of the Spokane River and its tributaries. The organization engages in science-based water quality monitoring, public education, policy advocacy, and volunteer stewardship to address pollution, habitat degradation, and harmful algal blooms affecting the Spokane River and connected systems such as Liberty Lake and medical, cultural, and economic resources in Eastern Washington. It partners with local, regional, and federal entities to influence decisions affecting the Spokane River and the larger Columbia River Basin.

History

Founded in 1998, Friends of the Spokane River emerged amid regional efforts to address water pollution affecting the Spokane River, the Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, and communities in Spokane County and Kootenai County. Early collaborations linked the group with institutions such as Gonzaga University, Washington State University, the Spokane Conservation District, and the Spokane Tribe of Indians to respond to nutrient loading, point-source discharges, and legacy contamination from mining and industrial sites near Kellogg and the Coeur d'Alene River basin. The organization has engaged with regulatory frameworks and agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to advance restoration projects, pollution reduction plans, and Total Maximum Daily Load initiatives that affect the Spokane River and the Columbia River Basin.

Mission and Programs

The organization’s mission centers on protecting and restoring water quality, aquatic habitat, and recreational values of the Spokane River and its watershed. Programs address nutrient management, stormwater runoff, septic system impacts, and industrial effluent through partnerships with local governments such as the City of Spokane, Spokane County, the City of Coeur d'Alene, and municipal utilities. Friends of the Spokane River coordinates with conservation organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Audubon Society, and Inland Northwest Land Conservancy to integrate habitat conservation, riparian buffer restoration, and urban green infrastructure projects into regional planning efforts like comprehensive plans, watershed management plans, and watershed restoration initiatives tied to the Spokane River and Liberty Lake.

Water Quality Monitoring and Science

Friends of the Spokane River conducts volunteer-augmented and staff-led water quality monitoring programs that collect data on nutrients, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and harmful algal bloom indicators across sites from Nine Mile Falls to Long Lake Dam. Monitoring efforts have intersected with scientific research at universities including University of Washington, Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga University, and University of Idaho, and with federal research programs at the U.S. Geological Survey and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration concerning cyanobacteria, eutrophication, and invasive species such as zebra mussels. Data are used to inform Washington State Department of Ecology water quality assessments, inform Total Maximum Daily Load development, and support adaptive management under laws and programs like the Clean Water Act and state water quality standards.

Advocacy and Policy Work

The organization engages in advocacy on policy issues that affect the Spokane River, interfacing with elected bodies such as the Spokane City Council, Washington State Legislature, Idaho Legislature, the U.S. Congress, and regional planning bodies like the Spokane Regional Health District. It participates in rulemaking processes at the Washington State Department of Ecology and provides technical comments on permits issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies for wastewater treatment plants, industrial dischargers, and stormwater management. Friends of the Spokane River has advocated for stronger nutrient criteria, upgrades to municipal treatment facilities, enforcement of the Clean Water Act, and funding for restoration through programs administered by the Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Community Education and Outreach

Public education initiatives include workshops, school programs, speaker series, and multimedia campaigns to raise awareness about sources of pollution, harmful algal blooms, and conservation practices affecting river users from paddlers and anglers to municipal planners and tribal members of the Spokane Tribe. Outreach collaborations have involved Spokane Public Schools, Whitworth University, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Idaho Fish and Game, local media outlets, and regional events such as Riverfest and Earth Day activities to engage residents about septic system maintenance, agricultural best management practices, and urban stormwater solutions like rain gardens and bioswales.

Volunteer Activities and Events

Volunteers support river cleanups, riparian planting, citizen science monitoring, and invasive species surveys, participating in coordinated events alongside organizations such as Idaho Conservation League, Trout Unlimited, American Rivers, and local watershed councils. Signature events include shoreline cleanup days, invasive weed pulls, and annual meetings that bring together stakeholders from municipal utilities, tribal governments, academic institutions, and environmental regulators to celebrate conservation milestones and plan future restoration actions for the Spokane River corridor.

Category:Environmental organizations based in Washington (state) Category:Spokane County, Washington Category:Water conservation organizations