Snake River Waterkeeper Awarded $14,100 to Connect Local Communities to Snake River
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, February 5, 2016
Contact: F. S. “Buck” Ryan, Executive Director, Snake River Waterkeeper (208) 806-1303
Snake River Waterkeeper Awarded $14,100 to Connect Local Communities to Snake River
Boise, ID – Snake River Waterkeeper is pleased to announce they have been awarded $14,100 as a part of the Connecting Communities to Rivers Grant Program for its Swim Guide App. American Rivers’ grant program is providing over $100,000 to seven projects that improve family-friendly recreational opportunities and protect rivers and surrounding open space. This program is generously supported by the LOR Foundation of Jackson, Wyoming.
Recreation is a key economic driver for communities along the Snake River. A wide variety of outdoor activities connect the local community with the Snake and its tributaries. In addition to being a popular recreation site, the Snake River is also a working river, supporting local agriculture and other commerce. The Swim Guide was created to inform the public about which places are safe to swim on the Snake and tributaries. The Guide uses data sampled on the Snake River in Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to maintain an app that provides the public with free, up-to-date, reliable, independent information about which sites are safe for swimming.
“American Rivers is excited to support an innovative, technology-driven project that connects communities to the safest places to enjoy on the Snake River. Water quality is a critical part of safe recreation, and we are pleased to award Snake River Waterkeeper support to continue this great work,” said Fay Augustyn, American Rivers’ Intermountain West Blue Trails Manager.
“Generous donors like American Rivers make our water quality monitoring possible, and the vision of the CRTC program will increase public awareness, safety, and accountability for local rivers across the entire Basin,” said Buck Ryan, Executive Director of Snake River Waterkeeper.
The “Connecting Communities to Rivers” Grant Program benefits communities and their connection to local rivers across the Intermountain West. The program has awarded 7 projects to date aimed at improving recreational opportunities by protecting rivers and their surroundings. The Swim Guide app is available as a free download on smartphones, and users can view the online map of sites at www.theswimguide.org/#organization=139.
About Snake River Waterkeeper
Snake River Waterkeeper applies science and law to protect, restore, and sustain waters of the Snake River Basin. Learn more about their work and Swim Guide at www.snakeriverwaterkeeper.org.
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and the annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 200,000 members, supporters, and volunteers. Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
