River and watershed organizations in the U.S. Intermountain West: key actors in social-ecological resilience

River and watershed organizations are important local and regional actors working toward the resilience of rivers and watersheds. Social ecology and relational frameworks guide our assessment of these organizations and their contributions across the U.S. Intermountain West. From 2020 to 2022, 237 semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of river and watershed organizations. These organizations varied in scope, mission, scale, and capacity. Key findings included the following: (1) These organizations are multitasking, often working on more than one project or goal at a time, even with limited resources; (2) These organizations work across geographic, social, and temporal scales; (3) These organizations rely heavily on incorporating diverse knowledges to their work; and (4) These organizations have complex relationships built through partnerships and collaborations that enable them to address issues and conflicts and to carry out their missions. Insights from river and watershed organizations offer evidence for their key role in river and watershed resilience and provide recommendations to others working in this practice arena.