YRDFA’s Work on the Yukon: The Clearinghouse Project & The Watershed Ecosystem Action Plan Project

The Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association (YRDFA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting wild fisheries and supporting the traditional ways of living that have long sustained communities along the Yukon River. Two big projects we’re focusing on right now, the Clearinghouse Project and the Watershed Ecosystem Action Plan (WEAP), are helping us understand how the watershed is changing.

WEAP field crew collecting water quality samples during a USFWS training.

The Clearinghouse Project centers on blending Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with Western science. The team began by reviewing historical records and stories shared by Elders and community members about long-term environmental changes. Working with partners across the region, we developed a set of interview questions to guide intentional, community-centered conversations. These interviews offer insight into changes people are seeing in the river, shifts in the climate, and observations about salmon health and behavior.

While the Clearinghouse focuses on lived experience and observation, the WEAP project brings in on-the-ground biological data. This year, the WEAP team traveled throughout the watershed to collect water quality samples, install temperature loggers, and assess culverts to determine whether they allow safe fish passage. Fieldwork took place in St. Marys, Mountain Village, Beaver, and at several sites along the Dalton Highway. Some of the most meaningful progress happened when both teams visited the same communities. In Nenana, Nulato, Marshall, Mountain Village, and Tanana, we carried large printed maps into interviews, allowing community members to mark exact locations where they’ve observed changes. This approach lets us layer firsthand knowledge with biological sampling, helping identify vulnerable habitats and areas experiencing rapid change.

Although these projects are separate, they naturally complement each other, each offering a different lens into the changes happening across the Yukon River.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge Technician at the Nenana Potlatch, where many interviews took place.

We are now building an interactive mapping tool that brings all of this information together. Users will be able to look at individual data layers or stack multiple layers to spot patterns and identify data gaps. This tool is expected to be available to the public early next year.

If you’d like to learn more or get involved, feel free to reach out grace@yukonsalmon.org

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