Friends of the River (FOR) is a California-based non-profit organization working exclusively on behalf of California rivers. FOR protects and restores rivers by influencing public policy, educating the public, and inspiring grassroots citizen action, and is nationally recognized as an authority on the adverse impacts of dams on rivers and ecosystems.

WHAT'S NEW 

American River Clean-up Sept 25th 9am to 12 noon
Join the American River Parkway Foundation and Friends of the River to help clean-up our neighborhood river park! For more information, click here.

The 2010 California River Awards
Join us for the annual California River Awards on October 8 in San Francisco.  This year we honor Congressman George Miller and Author & Photographer Tim Palmer. To find out more about this event or to sponsor click here. Individual tickets are on sale now - click here.

Want gear or got gear?  Come to the FOR annual gear swap September 11 & 12, 2010!
Need river gear?  Got too much?  Maybe you just want to make some money off that old bucket boat to buy your own self-bailer?  Come to FOR’s annual river gear swap at American River Paddle Festival, September 11 & 12, 2010 at Henningsen-Lotus Park in Lotus, California.  Learn more>

The Water Bond to be delayed until November 2012 ballot.
California Legislature passed AB 1265, a bill to delay a public vote on Proposition 18, the $11 billion water bond, until 2012. The water bond is currently on the November 2010 ballot, but polls show that the budget-busting measure may fail. The Governor is expected to sign the measure. Learn more about the water bond and this bill.

FOR Working to Save California's Riverside Trees
Did you know the Army Corps of Engineers is waging a War on Nature? A new nationwide Corps policy for flood control districts threatens to wipe out thousands of miles of riverside trees and wildlife habitat in California alone. In response, Friends of the River has launched a grassroots letter-writing movement to tell President Obama to order the Corps to change its policy. Our goal is to send 100,000 letters to Obama by Dec. 31, 2010. Learn more about this issue and how you can help.

Headwaters – get the latest issue online!
Headwaters magazine is now available online.  Read about the water bond, member outings, and other river news. Click here to download the pdf. (3mb)

FOR Opposing Water Bond on November Ballot
Friends of the River opposes the $11.14 billion water bond approved by the Legislature last November.  This general obligation (GO) bond will likely be placed on the November 2010 general election ballot for voter approval.  Friends of the River believes that the water bond is the single greatest threat to California rivers in more than a decade.  Approval of the bond by the voters will reinvigorate a new era of big dam building and river destruction in California and exacerbate the state’s already dire fiscal situation. Read more >

FOR Withdraws From Klamath Settlement Agreement
Friends of the River has announced that it will not sign the Klamath Hydropower Settlement Agreement (KHSA).  The proposed agreement has so many preconditions and requirements that it will likely never result in the removal of any dams. Read the press release > 

FOR Sues to Block Backroom Water Deal
Westlands Water District is trying to lock up over 1.186 million acre feet of water a year in exports from the Trinity and Sacramento Rivers via the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta.  "With little or no public review, the Westlands Water District wants the government to sign off on destructive water exports”, stated Steve Evans Conservation Director for Friends of the River.  “They are slipping this by and trying to avoid the responsibility for reducing damage to the Delta and its tributary rivers.” Read the press release > 

Friends of the River
(916) 442-3155 voice - (916) 442-3396 fax - (888) 464-2477 toll free
1418 20th Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA  95811