2018 White Salmon River Fest Symposium
White Salmon Riverfest Symposium, June 2nd, 6:00-9:00 p.m. at Husum Fire Station in Husum, WA.
The annual White Salmon Riverfest Symposium, hosted by SHARE the White Salmon River, explores information and ideas related to the White Salmon River, its communities, and its watershed. The White Salmon River boasts two federally designated “Wild and Scenic” sections. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, this year’s symposium will feature speakers who will fit this anniversary into a regional context and reflect on what this means for our local river. Presentations from local experts will include a short film from a local filmmaker on how to protect the river’s resources; diving into how the unique geology of the basin shapes its waters; updates on the Underwood in-lieu site navigation and habitat restoration project at the mouth of the river; on Condit Dam decommissioning; on what we are learning about the post-dam-removal recolonization of the river by salmon and steelhead from monitoring efforts; and an interactive panel discussion. Panelists will tackle “The White Salmon River: Free-flowing Forever? Checking in on the Implementation of the Wild & Scenic River Management Plan”, a conversation about how well the implementation of the management plan is protecting the river’s “outstandingly remarkable values”, and the role of stewardship. Attendees will also have the opportunity to interact with representatives of organizations that are active in the watershed.
More information about the rich offering of activities for Riverfest can be found at www.facebook.com/WhiteSalmonRiverFest/. Make sure to check out the Rivers For All Gear Swap prior to this year’s symposium.
Speakers this year will include:
—Brendan Wells with Mountain Mind Collective– How boaters and anglers can protect spawning salmon
–Becky Blanchard with USFS – Free-flowing Forever: Celebrating 50 Years of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
–Josh Epstein with Inter-Fluve – Update on Underwood In-lieu Nav Restoration Project
–Jeremy Wilson, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife – Update on monitoring the recolonization of the WSR by anadromous fish
–Bengt Coffin, USFS – WSR Basin’s unique hydro geology
–Panel discussion with local experts about The White Salmon River: Free-flowing forever?
Tables to explore will include:
—SHARE the White Salmon River
—Friends of the White Salmon River/USFS
—Rivers for All
—Cascade Mt. School
—Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group/Friends of Beavers
—Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
—Washington Water Trust
