Hoopa Valley families, youths help clean Trinity River
On July 10, dozens of families and young people showed up to clean trash out of the Trinity River.
The clean up — which involved the Hoopa Valley Tribe, Save California Salmon, and the Warrior Institute — also served as an educational event with river rafting and stopping at various cultural sites featuring speakers from the Hoopa Tribe who addressed the long history over the battle for water rights regarding the river. Northern California tribes have long battled the state and agriculture industry for water rights on their ancestral home, and Central California agriculture significantly impacts the river and salmon that live in it.
“The Trinity River and the Klamath River salmon would likely be totally gone by now if it wasn't for the activism of the tribes. The Yurok Tribe, the Karuk Tribe and the Hoopa Tribe have fought these water wars for dam removal for many, many decades. They're the reason there's any water in the Trinity River anymore, and there's been restored flows is because of the work of the tribes,” Regina Chichizola, executive director of Save California Salmon, said.
Chichizola noted that this year, the Fourth of July trash remnants — such as beer bottles and firework debris — usually scattered about the river after the holiday were not as widespread as previous years, which she said was encouraging.
Salmon in the Klamath and Trinity rivers are highly culturally significant to the tribes, and commercial fishing depends on salmon populations staying healthy as well. Rushes of warm water into the river caused by diversions into Central California could kill off significant portions of salmon.
“If we start having adult fish kills on the Trinity and Klamath rivers again, like we did in 2002, we could lose the salmon. And right now the numbers are already so low. So one of the reasons we like to have events like this one is to clean up the river, but also to let people know what's happening on the river,” Chichizola said.
There will be tribal youth raft trips on the Klamath and Trinity Rivers on July 17 and 23 hosted by Save California Salmon, in addition to a Salmon Protectors Canoe Camp in August after the Yurok Tribe's Salmon Festival. Save California Salmon will also be co-hosting a public comment hearing on the State Water Resources Control Board's Racial Equity Action plan on July 21 in Redding with the state water board.
“It's difficult to describe what the Trinity River means to our community and its people,” Joe Davis, chairman of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, said in a release. “To say it means a lot is an understatement. To see an effort like this led by our youth is really something to be celebrated. I hope we can take these inspiring efforts and build off the positive momentum that's been created. The Hoopa Valley Tribe is very thankful for all who volunteered their time and efforts.”