Annual Susan Hess State of the Columbia River Basin Fall Lecture/Dialogue

Annual Susan Hess State of the Columbia River Basin Annual Fall Lecture/Dialogue!

Date: October 16th, 2025

Location: Ripple Space, 275 West 3rd St, Suite 400, Vancouver, WA 98660

Come join us for an engaging evening filled with insightful discussions about the current state of the Columbia River Basin.

Our keynote speaker this year will be Mary Lou Soscia. Mary Lou worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for 38 years in Washington, D.C. and the Pacific Northwest. Protecting human health and ecosystem restoration in Indian Country throughout the United States and especially the Pacific Northwest was a foundation of her work. Mary Lou created and led the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program, which became a Clean Water Act amendment and received $79 million from Congress in 2021 to reduce toxins to protect human health and increase ecosystem resilience. She provided leadership for over 25 years on Columbia River water temperature issues.

This in-person event offers a unique opportunity to connect with fellow river enthusiasts and learn from leading authorities in the field. Don't miss out on this chance to deepen your understanding of one of the Pacific Northwest's most iconic river systems!

Sanoe Keliinoi of the Columbia Land Trust will also be sharing the story of the restoration of Wildboy Creek. Once disrupted by splash-dam logging and the construction of Kwoneesum Dam in 1965, it is now a healthy, free-flowing river again, thanks to a unique collaboration between the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Columbia Land Trust, and others. Wildboy Creek, a tributary of the West Fork Washougal River, after more than fifty years, is again spawning ground for steelhead salmon.

Host or Publisher Columbia Insight