Floating the Chetco—Watch on Vimeo and KBSC

Join guide Harvey Young of Fish Hawk River Company, local sponsors and the Chetco Watershed Council on a float of the beautiful lower Chetco River.  Watch Floating the Chetco on Vimeo and then join the efforts of local groups to protect and preserve this iconic world class salmon and steelhead river.

You can also watch the program on KBSC TV's Facebook Page.

Harvey Young and KBSC TV float the lower Chetco River in a locally sponsored program. Watch on the provided links. Photo from the video.

The lower Chetco River float begins at the Little Redwoods Campground on National Wild and Scenic segment of the river on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Harvey fills us in on the flora and fauna, recreational uses and history of the river.

Economics—Angling v Mining

A February 7, 2011 Wall Street Journal Article entitled "Big Salmon Runs Spawns Big Profits" states:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated anglers in California made $2.7 billion in fishing-related expenditures in 2006, the most recent year for which data are available.

So how much money does suction dredging—the mining of stream bottoms for gold—contribute to the economy?

Protecting the Chetco River—Where are we now?

In 2008, a Washington based mining company submitted plans to mine almost half the length of the National Wild and Scenic Chetco River, including about 6 miles in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.  The threat of mining on this beautiful world class salmon and steelhead stream remains strong—especially with the escalating price of gold (from ~ $800 to ~ $1,500/ounce).

In 2010, American Rivers named the Chetco one of America's Most Endangered Rivers.  In 2011, the Pew Environment Group released the report "Ten Treasures at Stake."  One of the ten incomparable areas at risk from mining in the report includes the National Wild and Scenic Chetco River and nearby Rough and Ready Creek.

However, there are efforts underway to protect the Chetco and its nationally outstanding waters: