By Steven Schauer, Deputy Executive Director

As we approach World Rivers Day, which falls this year on Sunday, September 28, 2025, the King County Flood Control District (KCFCD) is proud to celebrate the vital waterways that flow across our region. World Rivers Day is a global movement established in 2005 to elevate awareness about the importance of rivers and inspire widespread stewardship.

This special day is a chance for us to honor and protect local rivers like the Cedar, Green & Duwamish, Sammamish, Snoqualmie, South Fork Skykomish, and White. All these rivers are essential lifelines that nourish ecosystems, support salmon and wildlife, and shape our communities.

King County’s Rivers: Our Shared Heritage and Future

World Rivers Day is an international celebration of rivers’ beauty, ecological significance, and the challenges they face. Celebrated globally, it encourages communities to engage in cleanups, paddling events, educational programs, restoration projects, and more. Locally, it’s an invitation to appreciate and care for the rivers that unite King County.

Cedar River and Lake Washington Watershed

The Cedar River and Lake Washington Watershed includes the Cedar River and its many tributaries like May Creek, Coal Creek, Kelsey Creek, Juanita Creek, Thornton Creek, among others. The Cedar River drains into Lake Washington in the city of Renton. This watershed supports important salmon recovery efforts (WRIA 8), flood risk reduction infrastructure, water quality monitoring, and community watershed stewardship. You can learn more about the Cedar River from the KCFCD and King County.

Green-Duwamish River Watershed

This watershed begins with the Green River, which flows into the Duwamish River in the city of Tukwila, ending in the city of Seattle at the Puget Sound. The Howard Hanson Dam provides considerable flood risk reduction; however, even with the dam, the Green-Duwamish River Watershed is still at risk of flooding. Therefore, the watershed features extensive flood risk reduction infrastructure, water quality sampling, salmon recovery efforts (WRIA 9), pollution remediation efforts including Superfund cleanup, and recreation along the Green River Trail and other natural areas. You can learn more about the Green and Duwamish rivers from the KCFCD and King County.

Additionally, the Lower Green River Corridor, located within traditional Tribal territory and flowing through parts of Auburn, Kent, Renton, SeaTac, Tukwila, and unincorporated King County, is home to a diverse community of nearly 30,000 residents and serves as a major economic engine for Washington, contributing one-eighth of Washington State’s Gross Domestic Product. This area also supports valuable farmland, life-saving medical facilities, cherished parks, vibrant community centers, natural habitats crucial to salmon populations, and key transportation routes connecting people and goods.

However, flooding poses a risk to people, infrastructure, and natural resources. To address these challenges, the KCFCD is developing a long-term vision for reducing flood risks and protecting this vital region. You can learn more about the planning process and get engaged in the Partner Planning Committee by visiting the Lower Green River Corridor Flood Hazard Management Plan webpage.

Sammamish River and Lake Sammamish Watershed

The Sammamish River Watershed includes land draining to Lake Sammamish (like Issaquah Creek), Bear Creek, and the Sammamish River, which empties into Lake Washington in the city of Kenmore. It’s home to important flood risk reduction infrastructure (especially for Issaquah Creek and the Sammamish River), rich surface water management and pollution monitoring networks, and Lake Sammamish water quality sampling. Salmon conservation (WRIA 8) is also a central focus of this watershed. You can learn more about the Sammamish River from the KCFCD and King County.

Snoqualmie River & South Fork Skykomish River Watersheds

Covering the rural northeast of King County, these two river systems feed into the Snohomish River, in Snohomish County, and eventually flow into the Puget Sound. These are technically two different watersheds, but for budgeting and planning purposes, the KCFCD combines the South Fork Skykomish River with the Snoqualmie River and its tributaries including the Tolt, Raging, and Miller rivers.

The Snoqualmie Valley is home to the iconic Snoqualmie Falls and is an important agricultural region in King County known for farming, logging, and natural beauty. Unfortunately, it is also known for being very prone to flooding. The area includes flood risk reduction infrastructure together with robust flood monitoring and the Snoqualmie Fish, Farm & Flood initiative, habitat restoration, salmon recovery (WRIA 7), and natural asset preservation along trails and open lands. You can learn more about the Snoqualmie and South Fork Skykomish rivers from the KCFCD and King County.

White River Watershed

Flowing from glaciers on Mt. Rainier through rural south King County toward the Puyallup and Commencement Bay, the White River Watershed spans 494 square miles, boasts a 68‑mile river, supporting multiple salmon species, as well as elk, bears, eagles, and more. The Mud Mountain Dam provides flood risk reduction benefits to the lower White and Puyallup river valleys, and the White River, within King County, features flood risk reduction infrastructure, flood detection systems, sediment and stormwater management, and recreation via the Foothills Trail. You can learn more about the White River from the KCFCD and King County.

How to Celebrate—and Make a Difference—on World Rivers Day

On September 28, and throughout the year, there are many meaningful ways to celebrate King County’s rivers:

• Understand your flood risk, access Be Flood Ready resources, and know more about the KCFCD’s flood risk reduction investments and projects.
• Join or organize river clean-ups or shoreline stewardship days, working with local groups and the King County Basin Steward Program to remove litter and invasive plants.
• Explore rivers responsibly by paddling on King County’s many rivers or walking the trails along the Cedar, Green, and Sammamish rivers and the Snoqualmie Valley and Foothills trails.
• Learn about salmon recovery by reading about the KCFCD’s Cooperative Watershed Management Grant Project and support of WRIAs 7, 8, 9, and 10. or check out the Salmon Seeson page to find out where you can view salmon this fall.
• Share your connection by posting river stories and photos with #WorldRiversDay and #kcflooddistrict to inspire awareness.
• Support long-term health by encouraging stormwater reduction, habitat restoration, and community engagement.

Looking Ahead

As our communities grow, so must our commitment to river health. On this World Rivers Day, join the KCFCD and the global call to protect our waterway lifelines. From flood resilience to habitat restoration and community recreation, King County’s rivers are our natural heritage. Let’s celebrate them, and pledge to keep them flowing, healthy, and resilient for generations ahead.

Happy World Rivers Day, King County!