The Spokane Riverkeeper’s fun filled 2025 Earth Day River Cleanup removed 11,520 pounds of trash from our local waterways with over 400 volunteers! That was four full dump trucks! This work could not have happened without support from our partners, event volunteers, and the community!

Every drop of water tells a story, and the Mekong Delta speaks volumes. In late 2023,  I found myself on an airplane heading to Southern Vietnam as part of a reciprocal exchange project through the YSEALI program. Surrounded by the meandering rivers, lush greenery, dense cities with traffic that flowed like water, and warm-hearted communities of the Mekong Delta, I witnessed firsthand how water is more than a necessity; it is a lifeline, a livelihood, and a legacy.

Ten years into Spokane’s cleanup plan, new data reveals real progress in reducing phosphorus pollution—but also reminds us that the work is far from over. Spokane Riverkeeper’s Water Protector Katelyn Scott reflects on the deeper story the river is telling us, and the path ahead for Long Lake and the life it supports.