On July 11, 2025, after a month floating the free-flowing Klamath River 310 miles, a group of indigenous youth arrived at the river’s mouth. Theirs was the first expedition to boat the river from source to sea since the removal of the fourth dam on the Klamath River in September 2024. The boaters included young people from the Yurok Tribe, the Hoopa Valley Tribe, the Karuk Tribe, the Klamath Tribes, the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and the Tohono O’odham Nation. They were accompanied by peers and guides from across the nation and around the world. The expedition was facilitated by Ríos to Rivers, a non-profit organization based in Aspen, Colorado, through the organization’s Paddle Tribal Waters program.
In July 2025, indigenous peoples gathered at the mouth of the Klamath River to celebrate the First Descent down the river since the removal of the Iron Gate dam. Image: Hannah Apricot
Upon arrival at the mouth of the Klamath River, the young boaters were greeted with three days of ceremony, celebrations, and a symposium about the legacy of dam removal and next steps for the Klamath River. It was my good fortune to be among those who joined the celebration.
Elders officiated at the receiving ceremony in Rek-Woi, also known as Requa, just upstream of the mouth of the Klamath River. Historically, the spot was home to a Yurok fishing village, where thousands of salmon used to congregate in the river.
After multiple prayers, songs, and words of reverence and gratitude, the young people stepped up to the microphone. Glowing and ragged from 30 days immersed in the elements, the young speakers were eloquent.
Danielle Rey Frank, Hoopa Valley Tribal member and Director of Development and Community Relations at Ríos to Rivers, talked about the joys and difficulties of being on the river for so long. She described the voyage as a love letter to her ancestors as well as to future generations. Frank expressed her commitment to doing whatever is necessary to protect and restore the Klamath.
Others shared stories passed down through generations of family members who fought in the salmon wars of the 1960s and 70s, when tribes were denied their sovereign rights to fish using traditional gill nets, while commercial and recreational fishing seasons remained open. They recounted extreme hardships experienced in the years surrounding the massive fish kill of 2002, which precipitated the dam removal campaign.
They recalled the thrill of seeing salmon swim past the former dam sites so soon after removal, saying that salmon are not a resource, they are a “life source.” They said the healing of the river is also healing their people and uplifting their Tribes. Their displays of affection demonstrated deep bonds that they formed during the journey.
Kayeloni Scott of the Spokane and Nez Perce Tribes and Executive Director of the Columbia Snake River Campaign discussed opposition of the current federal administration to removing dams on the Snake River.
Speakers from Chile discussed their efforts to protect and restore the Biobío River, the second largest river in Chile.
Maori representatives offered spine-tingling song prayers in the Haka tradition which expressed the art, connectivity, and power of tribal culture in New Zealand.
The final day featured a symposium, with discussions by advocates working to follow through on the Klamath River restoration. They explained what still needs to occur in order to recover viable populations of Chinook and coho salmon, steelhead, and lamprey in the Klamath system.
Amy Bowers-Cordalis with the Yurok Tribe and founder of Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group discussed how Klamath restoration put the rights of tribes, nature, and industry on equal footing for the first time in history.
Allie Hostler from the Hoopa Valley Tribe noted that the unprecedented challenges of dam removal inspired unprecedented unity among tribes and Klamath communities.
Barry McCovey, Fisheries Director with the Yurok Tribe, discussed the need to continue the momentum built during the Paddle Tribal Waters event.
Nat Kane from Environmental Law Foundation discussed the role of the Public Trust Doctrine in protecting interconnected ground-to-surface water and the importance of the instream flows in key tributaries.
Dave Webb from Friends of Shasta River discussed the need for tribes and NGOs to clarify common goals and coordinate efforts to improve water advocacy and law enforcement.
Regina Chichizola from Save California Salmon talked about the outsized influence of irrigators on water regulation, considering the multitude of abundant values flowing from healthy river ecosystems in comparison to the limited revenues generated by agriculture.
Konrad Fisher from Water Climate Trust highlighted the fact that the dams came down without a waiver of claim to tribal water rights sought by the federal government. He discussed the need to hold agencies accountable, as public funds granted for water conservation and species recovery often result in less water for fish.
It was an honor to be present during this confluence of dedicated, capable individuals of all ages, colors, and classes. They combined their skills and passion to celebrate and build on significant restoration milestones that appeared impossible not long ago. May ripples of confidence and connectivity flow forth, empowering Tribes, organizations, and communities to continue the momentum.
You can learn more about the young people’s journey, the celebration and symposium, and restoration on the Klamath River here: https://www.riostorivers.org/paddle-tribal-waters.