Students from UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz joined Friends of the River for our first 2026 trip on the South Fork American River, combining rafting with hands-on learning about California’s complex water systems and river advocacy.

A major court case over the Kern River could shape the future of river protections across California. Friends of the River is helping defend Fish and Game Code §5937 — a critical law requiring enough water below dams to keep rivers and fisheries alive.

The Trump Administration is reviving a decades-old fight over California’s protected Eel River by opposing dam removal and reopening plans to send its water south. Learn why advocates say Wild & Scenic River protections are once again under threat.

California’s protected McCloud River is once again at risk as federal officials push to raise Shasta Dam — a project that would flood protected river habitat despite California law. Learn what’s at stake and how you can help defend one of California’s most treasured rivers.

A look back at 1970s California reveals a familiar story: ambitious plans to dam and divert rivers colliding with environmental limits and economic reality. In this reflection, Friends of the River’s Senior Policy staffer Ron Stork shows how past debates—and decades-old warnings—still echo in today’s fights over rivers, climate, and California’s water future.

A new draft permit adds stronger protections—but the Sites Reservoir project still threatens river flows, water quality, and wildlife. This update breaks down what’s improved, what’s at risk, and why the fight isn’t over.