Yuba is the Heart

Forty years ago, the South Yuba River Citizens League began caring for the South Yuba River by advocating for dam removal and gaining Wild and Scenic protection. Today, their work encompasses the entire Yuba River watershed – from the Sierra crest to the valley floor. As the organization looks towards the next forty years, community members reflect on the future of their work in the face of climate change and protecting the river for future generations. Posed as a love letter to the river and the community that surrounds it, Yuba is the Heart considers what it means to love and be loved by a river.


About the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL)

SYRCL is founded on the premise that people can save a river. The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL – pronounced circle) was founded in 1983 by grassroots activists determined to protect the South Yuba River from dams. Ultimately, SYRCL won permanent protections for 39 miles of the South Yuba River under California’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Today, SYRCL is the central hub of community activism to protect, restore, and celebrate the Yuba River watershed. With over 39 years of achievements, 3,500 members and 1,300 active volunteers, SYRCL is doing great things for the Yuba watershed.