Save the River, Save the Salmon
by Darren Moore
Members of the Yakama Nation hosted a rally today on the banks of the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington. The rally was held to raise awareness of the ongoing challenges affecting the river and its precious ecosystem. The organizers aim to shed light on the mismanagement, treaty violations, and pollution that have been plaguing the river, particularly in light of the recent raw sewage releases that have added an extra burden to the already troubled waters.
The Yakama people, who have lived and worked along the river for thousands of years, have a deep spiritual connection to the Nch’í Waná, which they know as the Columbia River, and to the Núsux (Salmon) that inhabit it. The river has long served as a source of sustenance and livelihood for the Yakama and other ancestral river tribes, including the Chinook, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Yakama Nation, The Wanapum and the Nez Perce Tribe.
The Columbia River, however, has been facing numerous challenges in recent times, including dams that have prevented access to 55% of the natural spawning grounds for fish, overfishing, and pollution. The river has been identified as one of the most consistently overfished bodies of water in the United States, and pollutants such as Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Mercury, and toxic flame retardants have been found in the river at levels that far exceed EPA safe levels.
The recent raw sewage releases, which saw the release of half a million gallons of feces, urine, and laundry waste on October 5th and another 100,000 gallons on October 25th, have added insult to injury. The releases are part of a long-standing cycle of neglect and indifference to the delicate balance of life in the Columbia River, and they have prompted calls for greater regulation and consequences for those who break the rules.
As Roxanne White, Yakama, told the crowd at the rally, “We’re all family, we’re all one people.” The issues affecting the Columbia River and its precious ecosystem are not just a problem for the Yakama Nation or other ancestral river tribes, but for all people who share this planet. The rally was a powerful reminder that the health of the river and its inhabitants is a matter of survival, and that it is up to all of us to protect and conserve this vital resource for future generations.
