The documentary follows the aquatic journey of Christopher Swain, who decided to swim 1,243 miles from the Canadian headwaters of the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean, in order to raise awareness of the river's polluted, degraded condition. Director Andy Norris filmed interviews with scientists, Native American leaders and others who speak convincingly of the need to restore the Columbia to a more pristine state. This means eliminating at least some dams, cleaning up the Hanford and Trojan nuclear waste dumps, and restricting development along the Gorge. The film pays special attention to salmon issues, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Celilo Falls, petroglyphs, Kettle Falls, the river in Canada, and the challenges Christopher encountered.