As their on-water intern, I quickly realized this role was about much more than rafting. It was about learning technical river skills, stepping into leadership, and building lasting community connections.

Macroinvertebrates are powerful indicators of water quality and habitat. These aquatic bugs live in our local streams and rivers year round, making them susceptible to seasonal or intermittent pollution that may missed by water quality testing. Read on to find out what we found!

For years, Spokane Riverkeeper and our partners have removed tens of thousands of pounds of garbage from the Spokane River. We’ve worked alongside volunteers, outfitters, cities, and land managers to protect this treasured waterway—but the trash keeps coming back. We sent Ecology a letter and data asking for help.