Mission & History

Russian Riverkeeper advocates, educates, and upholds our environmental laws to ensure the protection and restoration of the Russian River for the health and benefit of all who use and enjoy it!

HISTORY OF RUSSIAN RIVERKEEPER

Russian Riverkeeper has been successfully protecting the River since 1993. Russian Riverkeeper, originally Friends of the Russian River, actively pursues conservation and protection of the River’s mainstem, tributaries and watershed through public education, citizen action, scientific research and expert advocacy. Among our early successes include a landmark conference in 1994, “The Russian River in Peril”,attended by 300 people including experts on fisheries, drinking water, and hydrology in addition to representatives from regulatory agencies and elected officials. Out of the conference came the agreement that the Russian River basin needed a comprehensive master plan that would provide a shared vision of restoration and enhancement of the River and its watershed.

In 2001, Russian Riverkeeper was launched, aligning itself with Waterkeeper Alliance, an international grassroots advocacy coalition of nearly 200 Waterkeeper organizations. Riverkeeper adopted the Alliance’s framework of advocacy and enforcement to steward the Russian River. The latter included
the hiring of a full time “Riverkeeper” and acquisition of a boat to closely monitor the River.

As an advocacy organization we have taken legal action against polluters when necessary to protect the River. For example,Riverkeeper led the fight to stop toxic discharge into an old riverside gravel pit that leached pollutants into the River, called for mandatory water conservation to respond to our current drought, has pursued enforcement of sediment controls at construction sites and sought increased agency enforcement region-wide. Most recently, Riverkeeper settled one of the largest pollution cases in the watershed after years of inaction by regulators, leading to major investments in pollution
controls and a healthier River.

Highlights Include:

1994"Russian River In Peril" conference, 300 attended day-long discussion of the rivers ecology, threats and regulatory structure with scientists electeds & federal, state and local agency officials

1995Filed notice of intent to sue state of California over violations of the Public Trust Doctrine in the Russian River, leading to creation of Watershed Council of stakeholders to work on a comprehensive watershed management and fishery restoration plan.

1997FORR organized a two-day "Steelhead Expo" with Trout Unlimited featuring talks on steelhead's "threatened" ESA listing by National Marine Fisheries Service

1998FORR board worked with grape growers to craft agricultural practices standards to protect habitat values and prevent erosion when hillsides are converted to vineyards, which lead to Sonoma Countys' Hillside Vineyard Ordinance.

1999FORR published white paper on Sonoma County Water Agency's practices and Sonoma Counties Aggregate Resource Management Plan. Joined Friends of the Eel River in a lawsuit on a new county water plan that ignored grave impacts from Eel River diversion.

2001Russian Riverkeeper Project launched under direction of our first Riverkeeper, Don McEnhill

2002Robert F. Kennedy Jr. officially launches the Riverkeeper boat & speaks at an evening fundraiser, first River Patrol case is enforced

2003Russian Riverkeeper catches mining firm dumping waste material into stream channel under un-approved revegetation project, Hosts " Pipe Schemes" at the Raven Theater a forum on Santa Rosas wastewater plans for the Russian River. Riverkeeper becomes technical coordinator for the Russian River First Flush citizen monitoring program monitoring 36 sites in urban creeks across the watershed with over 200 trained volunteers.

2004Russian Riverkeeper outlines study plan later funded by the county to independently review "Low Flow" proposal to improve habitat for endangered fish, study concludes no evidence supports hypothesis that lowering flows will help the struggling fish populations. Riverkeeper awarded State contract for largest study in the watershed of pesticide concentrations in urban creeks.

2005Russian Riverkeeper with Trout Unlimited launch the Foss Creek Community Restoration Project. Riverkeeper gets donation of 5-acre riverside parcel in Guerneville and will manage demonstration native plant revegetation and creation of natural community park. Launches the Creekkeeper Academy to train 24 Creekkeepers each year to serve two years monitoring a section of the watershed. Joins California Coastkeeper Alliance of all 12 California Waterkeeper programs creating a statewide voice for all our waters. FORR changes name to Russian Riverkeeper!

2006Stopped Syar gravel mining permit for Healdsburg area due to lack of mitigation and poor past performance on previous projects. Published Russian River Citizens Survey of Pesticides in Urban Creeks detailing declining levels of Diazinon and presence of Diazinon replacement products in our creeks. Stopped largest bank armoring project in the watershed proposed by Vino Farms. Graduated 2006 class of Creekkeeper Volunteers

2007Exposed and stopped the daily discharge of 250,000 gallons of toxic processed water from Syar gravel plant. Documented the highest readings ever for muddy water from a construction site that was fined and led to increased construction site pollution enforcement. Gave testimony in Sacramento that lead to the Mandatory Water Conservation Order that favored a flowing River over green lawns in cities. Riverkeeper Stewardship Park in Guerneville benefited from over 850 volunteer hours!

2008Over the last year, Russian Riverkeeper has:

• Worked to protect fisheries in and around the Jenner Estuary under California’s
Marine Life Protection Act.
• Continued the ongoing battle to end gravel mining in the River and its aquifers.
• Worked to protect groundwater and surface water from wastewater pollutants that
affect fish and the River ecosystem.
• Continued removing invasive vegetation, planting native plants and developing
interpretive trails at Riverkeeper Stewardship Park in Guerneville with help from
volunteers including employee groups from Marmot Mountain and Medtronic.
• Improved water quality in the Russian River by achieving a settlement with Redwood
Empire Sawmill in Cloverdale for storm water pollution prevention measures and the
payment of mitigation funds to help restore local waterways.

Please consider increasing your giving to Riverkeeper so we can meet crucial challenges in 2009/10 such as:

-End Gravel Mining in the Russian River
-Prevent polluted discharges
-Preserve Healthy Flows
-Improve Riverkeeper Stewardship Park
-Keep the Riverkeeper “On The River"