Through Project 185, River Guardian volunteers choose a mile segment of the Willamette to monitor on a monthly basis. From canoes, kayaks, backyards or a favorite walking trail, River Guardians look for excessive erosion, new clearings, illegal dumping, sewer overflows, and other problems that affect the habitat and water quality of the Willamette. Volunteers develop an intimate relationship with their stretch of the river and are able to notice both obvious problems and subtle changes over time.

When an area of concern is identified, River Guardians report back to Willamette Riverkeeper staff and work with them to research the issue. Volunteers then have the option to work with Willamette Riverkeeper to work toward finding a solution to the identified problem. This may mean contacting a local or state agency or working with landowners to educate them about river-friendly management practices.

To prepare River Guardians for their monitoring sessions, Willamette Riverkeeper offers trainings, in cities and towns along the entire river, that introduce volunteers to the river and the issues they may encounter. Following the training, new River Guardians choose the mile of river they wish to monitor. Once they have attended a training, River Guardians are ready to begin their monitoring.

There are currently 92 River Guardians, monitoring 126 miles of the Willamette River.  Check out our calendar for the next training opportunities nearest you.

To become a River Guardian contact Amy at amy@willamette-riverkeeper.org