The Upper Lewis River, sometimes called the North Fork Lewis River, starts at the base of Mount Adams Wilderness and flows through old-growth forest and past towering rock cliffs. The Forest Service recommended this stretch for the Wild & Scenic River System back in the 1990s, but that recommendation still needs to become permanent protection.
The river provides valuable habitat for coho, steelhead, and bull trout, and the EPA has named it one of twelve primary thermal refuges for the Columbia River. The main stem below Swift Reservoir, which is below the nominated area, also supplies drinking water to Cowlitz County residents. That’s a lot resting on one river.
“The Upper Lewis River is a recreational gem here in Southwest Washington that also provides important habitat for coho, steelhead, and bull trout,” said Ashley Short, Policy Manager with Vancouver-based Cascade Forest Conservancy. “Protecting healthy waterways like the Upper Lewis through the state is critical, especially as we continue to see rollbacks from the Federal Government. We hope Ecology will step up to provide protection to this special River system.”
The Upper Lewis River is also one of Washington’s best-known hiking and waterfall destinations. Visitors come for backpacking, horseback riding, mountain biking, whitewater kayaking, camping, swimming, and fishing. Upper Lewis River Falls, the tallest and most iconic waterfall on the river, drops 58 dramatic feet and draws thousands of visitors a year on its own.
That draw benefits the local economy, too. Outfitters, guides, and small businesses in Cougar and Trout Lake benefit from the river’s scenic and recreational appeal. Protecting the river protects those livelihoods.
Clean, flowing water is our culture. It’s our well-being. It’s our prosperity. Help us keep it that way.