Chinook salmon return from the Pacific Ocean – Photo credit USFWS
Every year, one of nature’s greatest migrations unfolds in north-central Idaho. Wild salmon and steelhead return from the Pacific Ocean to the very streams where their lives began, carrying with them not only the next generation of their species, but also their bodies to deliver the nutrients that sustain entire forest ecosystems. Their journey connects ocean, river, wildlife, and people in an extraordinary cycle of life.
Today, Idaho’s wild salmon and steelhead populations have fallen to just 2% of their historic abundance and remain federally listed as threatened. The Clearwater River basin, with its millions of acres of cold water, pristine habitat, is one of the most important strongholds remaining for their survival. As climate change intensifies, these rivers and forests will become even more critical refuges for salmon, steelhead, bull trout, west-slope cutthroat trout, lamprey, and countless other native species.
At the same time, this irreplaceable landscape faces unprecedented threats. In 2025, American Rivers named the Clearwater and its major tributaries one of the most threatened river system in the United States. Quadrupling of commercial logging by the new National Forest plans, expanded road building, weakened environmental protections, and political efforts to sell public lands all place the Clearwater basin’s ecological integrity at risk. One of America’s important salmon strongholds could be permanently altered unless action is taken now.
The Clearwater River basin already contains vast stretches of intact wilderness, roadless landscapes, and Wild and Scenic Rivers that function as a de facto natural salmon sanctuary. By safeguarding and restoring additional key habitats, we can build on this foundation and secure a future for salmon and steelhead across an entire watershed.
For more than forty years, Friends of the Clearwater has championed the protection of the basin’s forests, rivers, and wildlife. Now we are launching our most ambitious proactive conservation effort yet: the Clearwater River Salmon Sanctuary Initiative. This bold initiative aims to establish the nation’s first landscape-scale salmon sanctuary, protecting millions of acres of habitat and hundreds of miles of streams essential to the recovery of Columbia basin wild salmon and steelhead.
A future where salmon continue their epic return; A future where healthy rivers sustain wildlife, communities, and cultures. A future where one of America’s greatest natural treasures is protected for generations to come.
