Out & About: Film festival to benefit Spokane Riverkeeper

OUTFLOW – The second annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival will be in Spokane on Thursday as a benefit for the Spokane Riverkeeper and the advocacy group’s goal to keep the river scenic, swimmable and fishable.

The event featuring 13 films and refreshments will start at 7 p.m. at River City IPA.

Tickets are $15 at the door or $13 on the Eventbrite website, http://goo.gl/5ZnlX6.

Riverkeeper Jerry White, who’s previewed the lineup, has a favorite:

“One of the films that especially catches my attention is ‘Martin’s Boat,’ a 24-minute film about Martin Litton, the legendary Grand Canyon dory pilot making his last trip down the Colorado, hitting the sweet spot to run through rapids. And he’s in his 80s.”

Also catching some attention is the Riverkeeper.

Based out of the Center for Justice, the program stands out as an advocate for the stream that runs through Spokane. Using science and the law, the Riverkeeper monitors water quality, stands up when laws are broken and steps up when things need to be done.

“We are involved in many aspects of the river and trying to advocate for the public’s use of the river,” White said.

A litter pick-up program was initiated last year in partnership with the City of Spokane and Spokane County. The Riverkeeper coordinated cleanups with nonprofit groups, churches, schools and businesses on shore and in rafts on the water.

The volunteers picked up more than 4,000 pounds of litter last year, he said.

“We do a lot of water-quality monitoring in the river and tributaries an provide data from temperature instruments to agencies, including the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife,” he said.

Legal issues regarding river policy include the Hangman Creek Cleanup, railroad coal hauling over the river and Washington’s Fish Consumption rule to name a few.

“We do boat patrols and look for issues along the shorelines, also illicit pollution,” White said, noting that a Riverkeeper crew found a pipe discharging illegally into the river last year and shut it down.

Staff does some enjoyable projects outdoors such as dealing with weeds, but they also sit on task forces working to clean up toxins.

“We also do youth outreach and will be working with Hutton Settlement and Spokane Parks and Recreation to get kids educated and in touch with the river,” White said.

Proceeds from the film festival will help fund these and other projects.