Mission

Our goal for the White Salmon River Fest and Symposium is to give back to the river that has supplied us with endless amounts of excitement, swims and memories by providing on-water recreation opportunities for locals, watershed education, food and music.  We also aim to support the organizations that advocate for a healthy Wild and Scenic White Salmon River. 


The White Salmon Riverfest started here . . . 

How is this organization connected with our event?

The Headwater's Institute was formed by a small group of river enthusiasts to provide education that inspires individuals and communities to care for and connect with their watershed. HWI is a non-profit organization and consists of volunteers who organize events locally and nation-wide. HWI is supported and endorsed by American Whitewater, American Rivers, River Network and many more.

What is a watershed? 
We all live in a watershed. It surrounds the entire landscape, extending from mountain ridgeline to ridgeline, all the way to the coast. Watersheds contain multiple layers of life which are all fundamentally connected by the water that flows through their creeks, rivers, estuaries, and wetlands.

HWI was created to assist and enhance annual educational seminars for guides and educators to teach, learn and share their common passion for rivers, coasts, lakes and their watersheds. This is where HWI comes into play on our very own White Salmon River.


River Literacy and Whitewater Festival

HWI helped us to build a foundation of river literacy on the White Salmon River, boosting the knowledge of the local river guiding professionals and community members alike. 

By adding on-water events such as the Community Raft Float and the Middle White Salmon Race, our event also goes beyond just classroom education.  Through this we hope that more locals will experience the magic of whitewater right in their backyard, thus wanting to care for the watershed even more. 

To learn more about the Headwater's Institute, please visit www.headwatersinstitute.org. Or join their organization on facebook.com.