The Nisqually Tribe of Washington is leading an effort to address the effects of climate change on the Nisqually River.

Tribal members have long depended on the river for salmon and other subsistence foods. But it's becoming shallower and much warmer -- conditions that are bad for fish -- and changing temperatures will make flooding more common.

So the tribe is working with local and federal agencies and conservation groups to protect and restore the watershed. Through the Nisqually River Council, the coalition has addressed hydroelectric dams, promoted rain gardens and built new infrastructure -- an effort that has cost about $35 million over the last 10 years.

“It is urgent we do not just walk away," Jeanette Dorner, the director of the salmon recovery program for the Nisqually Tribe Natural Resources Department, told The New York Times.

Get the Story:
Seeing Trends, Coalition Works to Help a River Adapt (The New York Times 7/21)