From Lake Coeur d'Alene to its confluence with the Columbia, the Spokane River travels 111 miles of varied and often spectacular terrain--rural, urban, in places wild. The river has been a trading and gathering place for Native peoples for thousands of years. With bountiful trout, accessible swimming holes, and challenging rapids it is a recreational mecca for residents and tourists alike. The Spokane also bears the legacy of industrial growth and remains caught amid interests competing over natural resources.
The twenty-eight contributors to this collection--including activists, storytellers, and scientists--profile this living river through personal reflection, history, science, and poetry. They bring a keen environmental awareness of resource scarcity, climate change, and cultural survival tied to the river's fate.