A low winter snowpack that melted off more rapidly than normal, followed by extreme temperatures, has left much of the state hot and dry. Our river systems and lakes are no exception, with this summer’s warm water conditions hurting native fish populations.

The Mountain Home Air Force Base is proposing changes to military overflight operations in the Owyhee canyonlands of Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada. The impacts of these changes on the people, wildlife, and character of this remarkable region would be significant and violate the Wild & Scenic protections for the area.

Environmental restoration, social justice, clean-energy measures, and endangered species recovery. These sound like pillars of the Democratic platform, yet it’s an Idaho Republican championing these efforts in the Pacific Northwest.

Meet IRU Member Doug Zamzow (IRU’s 2020 Member of the Year award recipient!). Doug has been a member of Idaho Rivers United since 2004, and has been an advocate for our rivers for decades.

Meet our newest Brewshed Alliance member: Mother Earth Brewing!

The public and conservation organizations pushed for a new environmental review of Perpetua Resources’ (formerly Midas Gold) Stibnite Gold Project after several major changes were made to the DEIS. The USFS responded, and will conduct a new Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, pushing further out the project timeline and offering new hope for the East Fork South Fork Salmon River.

Streamtech Boats was started by Link Jackson, who wanted to use his passions for boat building and art to make a difference for our rivers and fish. Streamtech Boats decided to partner with IRU, using their platform to support conservation initiatives and further awareness of our imperiled salmon and steelhead.

Eastern Washington legislators are using small fluctuations in spring Chinook to tout that dams and fish can coexist, but these arguments miss the reality that salmon populations are still far below recovery goals and on a downward trend.

Earthjustice, representing Idaho Rivers United and several of our partner conservation organizations, filed an injunction today to increase spill over dams in the Lower Snake River and Columbia River, and to lower reservoir levels to aid juvenile migrating salmon.

Drought conditions across much of the West mean it is an extremely low-water year, which spells trouble for salmon migrating back to Idaho.

Idaho Rivers United has teamed up with Inclusive Idaho, LEAP, and Idaho River Sports to create inclusive outdoor activities, helping individuals have opportunity and access to outdoor recreation.

The Columbia Basin Collaborative (CBC) held a second workshop this month to inform stakeholders of the trajectory for the newly formed regional salmon recovery process. The collaborative intends to develop a series of recommendations for lawmakers, meaning a lot of ‘process’ and lack of bold action.