Columbia Riverkeeper

Mission

Our mission is to protect and restore the water quality of the Columbia River and all life connected to it, from the headwaters to the Pacific Ocean.

Bottom Line

Columbia Riverkeeper unites communities to fight for clean water and our climate—and win. Launched in 2000, we have grown into a diverse, respected organization known for combining grassroots organizing and legal advocacy to secure victories for clean water, salmon recovery, and our climate in Portland and beyond. With your support, we will:

Fight Like Hell for Our Climate - Our goal: Defeat all new or expanded fossil fuel infrastructure and engage in community-led efforts that slash greenhouse gas emissions. We are working to stop oil-by-rail in Portland and defend the city’s historic policies for our climate.

Stop Toxic Pollution because All People Deserve Safe Fish and Clean Water - People want to feed their families fish, but health advisories warn that many resident fish are too toxic to eat. We work in solidarity with Tribes, sue polluters, and advocate for laws that protect all people that rely on locally-caught fish. Like many basic human rights, our right to clean water requires constant and unwavering defense.

Advocate for Abundant, Harvestable Salmon - The Columbia once produced more salmon than any river on Earth. Today, Columbia River salmon populations are a fraction of their historic size. To honor Tribes’ rights and ensure that future generations can catch Columbia River salmon, we advocate to remove four harmful dams on the Lower Snake River, improve laws to protect fish, and restore habitat.

Monitor Water Quality So You Can Swim with Confidence - We promote safe swimming and recreation by collecting E. coli samples at nine Portland-area swim beaches and providing data on our Swim Guide app with easily accessible data.

With your support, we will defend and restore the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest.

Quote

“Columbia Riverkeeper is an established and trusted leader working to create a more just system for ecosystems, and the people who rely on them throughout the Columbia River Basin.” — Se-ah-dom Edmo (Shoshone-Bannock, Nez Perce, and Yakama), Executive Director of Seeding Justice and former Columbia Riverkeeper Board Member

Incentives

• -Anyone who gives $25 or more through November will receive a $5 off coupon to Ferment Brewing Company.
• -The next three donors to give $100 or more starting 11/24 will receive a windsurfing lesson from Big Winds.
• -The next 100 donors to give $35 or more starting Dec. 1st will receive a $10 gift card to Hopworks Brewery in Portland.
• -The next 20 donors who give $50 or more starting 12/9 will receive a $25 gift card to Por Qué No Taqueria.
• -The next 8 donors who give $50 or more starting 12/17 will receive a $25 gift card to Working Hands Fermentation.
• -The next 5 donors who give $75 or more will receive a $100 gift card to Jungmaven starting 12/30 @ noon!

Gift Matching

-The first $2,500 in donations will be matched by Schooner Creek Boat Works.

Partner(s)

Crag Law Center is a longtime partner in successfully pursuing legal victories for the environment.

Oregon Wild is Oregon’s oldest statewide environmental nonprofit working to protect wildlands, wildlife, and waters for generations to come.

Thank you to all our incredible business partners for your commitment to this work and for offering amazing incentives!

Header Image Photo Credit: Students learning with Columbia Riverkeeper at Nichols Natural Area by David Hansen. Columbia River Gorge scenic view. Salmon swimming in the Columbia River by David Moskowitz. Chief Bronsco Jim Jr. at the May 8, 2026 Protect Pushpum event by Paloma Ayala. Board Member Elaine Harvey by Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. Rally and lobby day for a data center moratorium on September 8, 2026 by Alex Milan Tracy.