West Virginia Bill Would Improve River Access At Bridges
02/13/2024 - by Kevin Colburn
A new bill in the West Virginia legislature aims to ensure public access to the state’s rivers and streams for recreational purposes. Specifically, the proposed West Virginia Public Waterway Access Act would require river access be provided as part of bridge construction or substantial repairs if it is safe and practical to do so. The result of this bill would be a gradual improvement to river access throughout the state over many years to come, increasing safety for both paddlers and drivers, and ensuring the economic and health benefits of river recreation will be a secure part of West Virginia’s future. We make it simple for West Virginia residents to reach out to their state senator and support this bill, SB 425 using our easy-action form.
Uinta Basin Railway Permit Withdrawn, Colorado River Protected!
02/08/2024 - by Evan Stafford
A court finding overturned the Surface Transportation Board’s approval of the Uinta Oil Train Project, leading the Forest Service to withdraw the Project’s Special Use Permit. This permit removal protects the Colorado River and the classic whitewater of places like Gore Canyon (pictured), Glenwood Canyon, Westwater Canyon and so many more – for now. This is a moment for celebration! As well as a moment to commit to vigilance in protecting and stewarding the Colorado River through what is likely to be a time of significant threats. We applaud the Forest Service for withdrawing this permit and the Congresspeople who stepped up to help protect the river, and we thank the coalition of local governments in Colorado that led the lawsuit asserting their concerns about unaddressed risks to the Colorado River, increased wildfire danger, and climate impacts.
American Whitewater Appeals Bad Forest Plan in Idaho
02/08/2024 - by Kevin Colburn
Last week, American Whitewater, along with several other national and regional organizations, filed a formal appeal of the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest’s new management plan. The new plan took well over a decade for the Agency to produce, and included an unprecedented reduction in river protections. These streams offer vast habitat for salmon and steelhead shortly upstream of the Snake River dams, and are recreational treasures for paddlers and other river enthusiasts from around the Country. The Forest Service is clear that they are releasing streams from both long-held and promised protections so that they can conduct logging and other projects on the Forest without the need to protect river values while they do it.
Our objection now goes to the Regional Forester, Leanne Marten, who will decide the fate of these 70+ rivers and streams. There are no more official public comment periods for this process. With that said, river enthusiasts are encouraged to respectfully email Regional Forester Marten with personal stories about these streams and their importance, and with requests to protect them as “eligible” and/or “suitable” for Wild and Scenic designation. Her email address is: leanne.marten@usda.gov
This Valentine’s Day, help protect the Dolores River! (CO)
02/08/2024 - by Kestrel Kunz
This year, American Whitewater is pulling out all the stops to ensure that the Dolores River is protected now and for our future generations. We are working closely with our partners and local stakeholders to ask our congressional leaders and the Biden Administration to protect the Dolores River Canyons. We need your help to tell decision makers why the Dolores River in southwest Colorado is so special and that it is worth protecting. For this Valentine’s Day, we are asking you to write a love letter to the Dolores River. Our staff will compile all the love letters and deliver them to your congressional representatives and the administration. You can use this easy form to craft your love letter and submit it to American Whitewater. We’ve included template language that you can use for inspiration, but make sure that your letter is unique! You can include stories from the river, whether it’s about the scenery, rapids, or the people that made a trip special.
Wild & Scenic Tuolumne River (CA) - Access Update
02/08/2024 - by Jeff Venturino
American Whitewater has been actively working to help restore public access to the Wild & Scenic Tuolumne River following extensive 2023 storm damage to two key access points, Lumsden Road and Wards Ferry Road. Repair of these roads is vital to the recreation economy in the area and each additional season without access to the river has a significant impact on whitewater paddlers. The extreme damage to these roads will require coordinated efforts to ensure they are funded and repaired for the long haul and not just patched for the next atmospheric river to take them out, again! The unfortunate news is that full traditional access will not be restored before the spring and summer of 2024. Access on an interim road is still available for the public and Outfitters. American Whitewater is working with other stakeholders to explore every viable interim solution. This update provides the most recent information regarding road repairs and access to the Tuolumne.
Paddlers Protect Lower Big Sandy with Purchase of River Left Corridor!
01/29/2024 - by Kevin Colburn
American Whitewater is thrilled to announce that last Friday, January 26, we purchased a large portion of the classic Lower Big Sandy river landscape. Located in northern West Virginia, the land includes 4.25 miles of river frontage spanning almost the entire river-left side of the gorge, the remainder of which is already under conservation ownership. This purchase safeguards the river-left Rockville Access and portage routes at Wonder Falls and Big Splat. This purchase effort was led by longtime American Whitewater board member Charlie Walbridge and retired Cheat River outfitter Dave Hough. It was made possible by major gifts from over two dozen paddlers. Thanks to their generosity the land will now be protected for its recreational and ecological values in perpetuity.
Take Action Now to Finally Stop a Gravel Mine on the Colorado River! (CO)
01/28/2024 - by Kestrel Kunz
On February 5, Rincon Materials Inc. will yet again bring their gravel pit mine proposal to Eagle County, this time to the Board of County Commissioners. The project proponents have been trying since 2016 to develop a mining operation in the Eagle River valley and while it hasn’t been successful yet, they are now bringing their proposal in front of the Eagle County Commissioners. The mine would span a whole mile alongside the Colorado River just upstream from the confluence with the Eagle River in Dotsero, Colorado, harming the viewscape, boating, and wildlife throughout the area. Use our easy action template today to tell the Board of County Commissioners to deny the Rincon Materials permit for good. Comments will be most helpful if submitted by January 31!
Klamath Dam Removal Update: Drawdown Has Begun (OR/CA)
01/24/2024 - by Evan Stafford
The next big step towards removing the remaining three hydropower dams on the Klamath River has begun. In early January, the Klamath River Renewal Corporation to began draining the three remaining reservoirs of the Lower Klamath Hydroelectric Project and performing other dam removal actions at the J.C. Boyle, Copco 1, and Iron Gate dams straddling the Oregon-California state line. Drawdowns began on January 11 at Iron Gate Dam and will continue over the following few weeks to months. As of January 23, all three dams have been breached and the Klamath is flowing unconstrained by hydropower dams for the first time since 1911. Dam removal activities will be ongoing through 2024. This is the largest dam removal project ever undertaken.
Recreation Gets a Voice in the Colorado River
01/11/2024 - by Kestrel Kunz
Every December, more than one thousand water managers, federal decision makers, and other stakeholders convene in Las Vegas for the Colorado River Water Users Association conference. At the conference, recreation typically has not had a seat at the table despite the fact that every water management decision in the basin implicates river recreation and its fast-growing economy. But this year, American Whitewater’s Southern Rockies Protection Director, Kestrel Kunz, was invited to speak about recreation in the Colorado River Basin. We are confident that river recreation will continue to have a place in these important conversations around the Colorado River Basin and American Whitewater is committed to ensuring the recreation voice has a seat at the table.
Washington State’s First Outstanding Resource Waters Designated
12/18/2023 - by Thomas O'Keefe
Today the Washington State Department of Ecology announced the state’s first Outstanding Resource Waters that will protect segments of the Cascade (Skagit County), Green (Skamania County), and Napeequa (Chelan County) River systems for future generations to enjoy. Outstanding resource waters are identified as having exceptional water quality, ecological and recreational values, or unique attributes that distinguish them among state waterbodies and warrant special protection. Outstanding Resource Waters have the highest level of protection assigned to a waterbody under the Tier III Antidegradation rule in Washington's water quality standards.
See What Your Membership Supports! Check Out Our Winter Stewardship Update
12/12/2023 - by Evan Stafford
Take a look at some of the ambitious stewardship goals we hope to accomplish next year in our 2023 Winter Stewardship Update! You should know, we have big plans for 2024. From dam removals, new instream flows in dewatered rivers, and securing new Wild and Scenic designations, to new access sites, influencing National Forest Plans and sharing an updated American Whitewater River Safety Code, we’ll have our work cut out for us. If our past success is any indication we’ll surely rise to the challenge, but we can't do it without your ongoing support to keep our work on track.
American Whitewater Holiday Offer Now Available!
12/04/2023 - by Bethany Overfield
Looking for that special gift for someone or just feeling the need to treat yourself? Our American Whitewater Holiday Offer just went live! You can get a Standard Membership ($35), your choice of a navy or tan AW beanie, and a 2024 calendar (plus shipping) all for $75. Head to our membership form and snag a Holiday Offer today. This is a splendid way to support our Stewardship work at American Whitewater!
2024 American Whitewater Calendar Now Available!
12/02/2023 - by Bethany Overfield
Each year, we collect the best photos from our gracious (and incredibly talented) community and pick out our favorites for our annual calendar. Proceeds from calendar sales support our river stewardship work. It's an awesome fundraiser and a product that we know you'll love! Keep AW close all year long.
Purchase a calendar from our webstore for $25. These make the perfect gift for all the whitewater enthusiasts in your life!
Calendars for those of you who receive them as a membership perk, should land in mailboxes the week of December 11th.
Help us Celebrate our Southern Rockies Program Success!
11/29/2023 - by Kestrel Kunz
As the year comes to an end, we have a lot of successes to celebrate for our rivers in the Southern Rockies region. We could not have accomplished this much without the support from people like you! Thanks for helping us achieve all the below milestones this year. Here are some regional highlights from American Whitewater's three pillars: Protect, restore, & enjoy!
AW Releases Pigeon Dries Flow Survey (NC)
11/29/2023 - by Kevin Colburn
American Whitewater has created an online flow study aimed at capturing paddlers' current flow preferences on the typically-dewatered Pigeon River Dries. Maintenance activities in recent years have afforded more paddling opportunities than is typical for the river reach, which is located between the dam and powerhouse for the Walters Hydroelectric Project. The license for the Walters dam expires in 2034 so the 5-6 year long dam relicensing process will begin in a few years. That process will include official on-water studies, and could result in scheduled releases for the Dries. American Whitewater is gathering information now to capture the current knowldege of the run to help inform these future studies and the dam relicensing process. If you've paddled the Dries, we'd love your thoughts! Here is the link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5D8JTJ6
Great Falls of the Catawba Good and Getting Better! (SC)
11/27/2023 - by Kevin Colburn
We are happy to share a few updates on the Great Falls of the Catawba that we think you'll enjoy as we reflect on the river’s first year of restored flows. First and foremost the first season was very successful with lots of happy visitors, consistent flow operations, and relatively few safety issues. With this said, we are still learning a lot about the river and how people want to visit it. A recent survey and meeting shed light on what we are learning and how things are shaping up for next year.
Utility Releases Fast-Track Plans for Removing Dams on California’s Eel River
11/17/2023 - by Scott Harding
The removal of two dams blocking Northern California’s Eel River is one step closer to happening. The owner of the dams, PG&E, just released its initial draft plan for dismantling the Scott and Cape Horn dams as early as 2028–a remarkably fast timeline. But PG&E also included a more complex alternate plan meant to satisfy irrigators, which could potentially delay the dam removal. Photo: Scott Dam by Kyle Schwartz.
Georgia Committee Considers Public Rights on Rivers
11/17/2023 - by Kevin Colburn
This fall the newly formed Georgia House Study Committee on Fishing Access to Freshwater Resources sought public input on fishing rights on Georgia's waterways. As the Committee’s efforts come to a close this month, they may or may not recommend that the House of Representatives draft legislation regarding the public’s rights on rivers and streams in Georgia. Any such legislation, if adopted, could limit or confirm paddlers' legal rights to paddle rivers and streams in Georgia. American Whitewater, American Canoe Association, Georgia Canoeing Association, and Georgia River Network recently wrote a letter to the Committee advocating for the long-held public right to paddle. American Whitewater and our partners will be closely following this issue in the weeks and months ahead, including reviewing any report issued by the Committee in the coming month.
Senator Tester Reintroduces the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act!
11/17/2023 - by Kevin Colburn
U.S. Senator Jon Tester reintroduced his Montana Headwaters Legacy Act (MHLA) on Thursday, setting the stage to double the number of protected river miles in Montana. If signed into law, the legislation would protect 20 rivers and 384 river miles in the Upper Missouri and Yellowstone river systems by adding them to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. A Wild and Scenic River designation is the highest form of federal river protection in the United States and would permanently protect the free-flowing nature, water quality, and outstandingly remarkable values of some of Montana’s most cherished rivers. Among the iconic waterways that would gain protection under the MHLA are the Boulder, Gallatin, Madison, Smith, Stillwater, and Yellowstone. We are asking for paddlers to encourage the other three members of Montana’s congressional delegation to get behind the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act in the coming weeks.
Help Protect Utah Mountain Creeks - DEADLINE TODAY!
11/16/2023 - by Kestrel Kunz
We need your help to protect the future of Utah’s creeks and the deadline is TODAY at midnight. The Manti La Sal National Forests have released a draft management plan for a 1.4 million acre landscape without any real protections for rivers and without a single mention of river recreation. The Manti mountains are home to unique Utah creeks, including Cottonwood, Ferron, Huntington and Left Fork Huntington creeks. Take Action Today to Protect These Creeks Using Our Easy Action Form!