Founded in 1973, Friends of the River is dedicated to preserving, protecting, and restoring California's rivers, streams, and their watersheds as well as advocating for sustainable water management. This is accomplished by providing public education, citizen activist training and organizing, and expert advocacy to influence public policy decisions on land, water, and energy management issues. Friends of the River is nationally recognized as an authority on the adverse impacts of dams on rivers and ecosystems, and as the most effective grassroots organization working on behalf of rivers. One of the organization's greatest strengths is its ability to coordinate national, regional, and local groups, combining their strengths and focusing efforts into coordinated campaigns.