Who Is Waterkeeper, Siri Lundström Älvräddarnas Waterkeeper

March 18, 2026

Siri Lundström is the Älvräddarnas Waterkeeper in Sweden. The word Älvräddarnas translates to “river savers” and underscores Siri’s lifelong commitment to Swedish ecosystems. In many ways, it was something she was born into.

Siri grew up in the Stockholm area. Her parents, however, grew up in the northern part of the country, near the Arctic Circle. As a child, she would spend holidays there and felt a strong connection to the Lule River, which historically had a ‘big’ branch as well as ‘little’ one. Her father grew up in a small village where the little Lule and the big Lule once ran together.

In 1960, the Swedish government dammed the little Lule river to make way for hydroelectric powerplants. That summer, the night before the river was closed, Siri’s father, uncle, and grandfather conducted the last fishing expedition before the dam was built. They caught the last four salmon to swim ever in that river. Today, there are 15 dams in the area that account for around 10% of Sweden’s power. Suffice to say, it has been devastating for one of the most important rivers for Atlantic Salmon. It also created the longest dry river bed in all of Europe.

Siri earned her masters degree in biology and worked in India studying tiger shrimp larvae in mangroves. But, when her father retired, he began working to influence his local community to be more environmentally friendly. In 2014, Siri decided to listen to her strong desire for social justice and began to lend a hand in these efforts to protect local waterways. Since 2023, she has been the Älvräddarnas Waterkeeper.

“Environmental destruction and injustice make me upset. The benefits of hydropower are distributed nationally, while the ecological destruction and social costs are borne locally. A sustainable society cannot be built on sacrificing certain places and people for the comfort of others,” says Siri. “My work is guided by the principle that rivers are living systems, not technical infrastructure. Waterways carry ecological, cultural, and social values that cannot be reduced to kilowatt-hours. I think it’s stupid and unclever to damage the hand that feeds you.”

Siri insists she doesn’t want the state to stop producing electricity, but instead hopes for some adjustments.

“I believe in realism rather than symbolism. It is entirely possible to combine renewable energy production with ecological restoration if there is political will,” says Siri. “This is not about dismantling society, but about correcting historical mistakes and adapting systems to planetary boundaries.”

In her capacity as Älvräddarnas Waterkeeper, Siri looks for where her efforts can have the most positive impact. Pursuing legal remedies has been her most successful course of action. In Sweden, all 2,100 hydropower plants, both large and small, are supposed to go through court review for environmental adjustments under the EU Water Directive. However, the current government in Sweden tends to lean more business friendly and seeks exemptions wherever it can. Furthermore, Siri only has a handful of employees, so she must cherry pick where and when they can allocate their time and energy. 

Another successful accomplishment for Siri and Älvräddarnas Waterkeeper was a study trip they orchestrated last year. This mission included all different actors, including NGOs, industry representatives, and even some politicians. Siri led the delegation to a hydropower dam that appears to be doing all the right things with regard to environmental stewardship. They are producing energy, but without harming local biodiversity. This endeavor has been enlightening for many Swedish decision makers. Siri has also presented these findings at conferences throughout Europe.

Siri is not only making her case for the Lule River at conferences. She also works tirelessly in the local community to raise awareness.  She is the chair of the Lule River Water Council. She also uses platforms like the winter fair in the village of Jokkmokk to advocate for the river directly to the indigenous Sami people of northern Sweden.

There are only around 4,000 people living in Jokkmokk. In Siri’s mind, the state has colonized this area by way of mining, deforestation, and now hydropower. It is exactly the kind of injustice that motivates her work.

Looking toward the future, Siri is hoping the younger generation will take a more active role in environmental protection. Recently, she helped launch WaterWardens as a grassroots movement, where people can find each other and help one another protect their local water.

“What happens to the Lule River and Sweden’s rapids are not exceptions. It is part of a global pattern where rivers are sacrificed in the name of development and energy security. Protecting rivers is not a niche environmental issue; it is fundamental to food security, biodiversity, climate resilience, and cultural survival,” says Siri. “Change happens when local voices are amplified and connected across borders. It is exactly what the Waterkeeper movement makes possible.”

To learn how you can support Siri’s work at Älvräddarnas Waterkeeper, click here.