Educational Media Reviews Online

The Klamath River of Northern California and Southern Oregon is one of the most important watersheds for anadromous fisheries on the west coast of North America. There are competing uses for the Klamath’s water as well, and the controversy has been covered by the media on a regular basis. Over the decades salmon stocks declined due to hydroelectric dams and agricultural water diversions which reduced flow and destroyed spawning habitat. Allocation of water to agricultural uses resulted in massive salmon die-offs in 2005 and 2006 and brought the controversy to a head. Plans are currently underway to remove four of the six dams over the next decade.

River of Renewal is based on the book of the same name by Stephen Most. Jack Kohler, city-raised Native American of Yurok descent, narrates his journey of self-discovery which evolves into a very watchable documentary. Interviews as well as historical newsreel footage are woven together with Kohler’s narrative to document the Klamath controversy from the Native American perspective. Yuroks were good stewards and traditionally managed their own fishery for the benefit of the 10,000 members of the Yurok, Karuk and Hoopa tribes yet the Native Americans were ultimately denied their tribal fishing rights.

There are no other videos on the market which tell the story of the Klamath Basin controversy from the Native American perspective. River of Renewal won the Best Documentary Film award at the American Indian Film Festival and I highly recommend it for public, school and college libraries.