Reclaiming Our Rivers

A Systems Approach to Environmental Justice and Restoration Along the Salt River

The Salt River is a waterway—it’s a mirror reflecting both the harm of systemic inequities and the hope of what’s possible when communities reclaim their power. For generations, the river sustained the Akimel O’odham and Pee Posh tribes, provided fertile ground for agriculture, and served as a cultural cornerstone. But a combination of water policies, industrial zoning, and urban development stripped the river of its flow, degraded its ecosystems, and disrupted community ways of life.

Today, the Salt River’s story highlights an urgent need for environmental justice. Decades of decisions prioritizing industry and urban sprawl have left behind polluted waters, fragmented habitats, and communities—particularly Indigenous and communities of color—disproportionately exposed to harm.

Yet amidst these challenges, initiatives like Protectors of the Salt River and Rio Reimagined offer a blueprint for restoration. By centering Indigenous leadership, advancing collaborative policies, and investing in equitable urban planning, we can restore a river, and the relationships the ecosystems sustains.

The Salt River calls on us to act— for environmental preservation, and for justice. This is our opportunity to repair harm, reconnect communities, and reimagine a future where the river flows freely, nourishing life, culture, and hope.