As the new year begins, I find myself feeling great concern for the river I love, the river that carries so much with it. Last year was dramatic. We saw record-low flows in some stretches, flooding in others, and pollution events that reminded us how fragile this system is. Agricultural runoff and industrial pollution continue to linger in the currents, and climate change is showing on the river in undeniable ways every season.
Yet at the same time, even under pressure, the river gives us so much. The river remained a place where people connected with each other, with nature, and with themselves. Kids explored the creek looking for crayfish, friends floated together through hot summer days, and quiet moments of reflection persisted along the banks. The river carries all of this, and it carries the stakes of the decisions being made about its future.
Decisions made far from these banks about funding, policies, and enforcement will ripple through every stretch of water, touching the places we know intimately. The Department of Ecology has a new administrator, just a year into the role, who is already influencing the future of clean water protections across our state. And he needs to hear from us.
So we are inviting everyone to write a love letter to the river. Not just letters, poems, drawings, short stories, or artwork are all welcome. Kids, teens, adults, families, anyone can participate. Share a story, a memory, a moment, a reflection on why the Spokane River matters to you, and why you think it deserves protection. Our stories, our letters, our poems and drawings, are one way to shape those faraway decisions, to make sure the river’s voice is heard where it matters. They are more than words on paper, they are a reflection of our shared responsibility to care for this river, to speak for the wildlife and communities that depend on it, and to remind decision-makers that clean water protections are essential.
How to participate:
Submit by February 10 to ensure we can deliver them by Valentine’s Day
Online: Submit via this digital submission form: https://forms.gle/aQiBZTBhU3ADGrqS8
Mail: Send to our office at 35 W. Main Ave, Ste 308, Spokane, WA 99201
Drop Box: Community Building lobby at 35 W. Main Ave
Every letter, every story, every piece of art becomes part of a larger conversation about the river. On February 13, we will deliver these letters to Director Sixkiller at Ecology as a collective message of love, care, and commitment. If you are not sure how to get started, we’ve created this easy to use template.
These letters represent the future we want for the Spokane River. Love for the Spokane River isn’t just a feeling, it’s a commitment and a responsibility. It’s recognizing all that the river carries and choosing to act, to speak, and to care. It’s sharing stories, raising our voices, and showing up for the water and the people it carries with it. This Valentine’s Day, let’s write our letters, share our love, and make our commitment visible, not just to ourselves, but to the river, and to those entrusted with protecting it.