In 1994 our founder Nadananda organized a small group of dedicated Eel River enthusiasts to advocate for the river and its fish. One of our first formal actions was to intervene in proceedings of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This was the start of Friends of the Eel River and our journey to save the Eel River’s struggling salmon and steelhead.
This is truly a critical time for the Eel River. We have the opportunity to remove the two dams on the upper mainstem Eel. And we have some truly remarkable native fish populations with potential for recovery. Despite the stressors and uncertainties of climate change, scientists generally agree that the Eel River holds perhaps the West’s greatest promise for salmonid recovery.