Upstream Battle

To the Native American tribes of Northern California, salmon is everything. It is their culture, their religion, and their way of life. The Klamath River was once home to thousands of salmon. Today, the river barely holds enough salmon to allow the Yurok, Karuk, and Hoopa tribes to survive. The building of dams for electric power by the giant energy corporation, PacifiCorp, has stopped the salmon from swimming freely up and down the river and has ruined the quality of water. UPSTREAM BATTLE tells the story of the biggest dam removal project in history. The tribes travel all the way to Scotland to have their voices heard by some of the largest energy companies in the world. And they come together not only to take on the dams, but also to deal with the farmers, fishermen, and irrigators who want a piece of the river. Winner of the Human Rights Award in Kosovo, UPSTREAM BATTLE reveals the blood, sweat, and tears of the Native Americans who continue to struggle and fight for their children's future. – L.W.