Front Page News

Come see American Whitewater at this year's Deerfield Fest July 25th in Charlemont, MA.

After 15 years, Deerfield Fest keeps gettting better! The fest will have no shortage of things to do and will feature vendors, food, boats, a silent auction, plus - and most importantly - the chance to begin or renew an AW membership! Not to mention all the proceeds of the event go towards funding American Whitewater's river stewardship.

American Whitewater would like to recognize John Regan as our July volunteer of the month.

John did the tractor work spreading gravel and brush-hogging to help, along with others, in maintaining the Upper Yough access area. This acess area, owned by the State of Maryland, has been maintained by American Whitewater volunteers for the last 8 years. John has been instrumental spearheading this work so all paddlers can enjoy the excellent Upper Yough. Thanks John!

Features articles on:

* Whitewater of the Sea
* It's Nile or Never!
* Women's Canoe Headed for Int'l Competition
. . . .and much more

"Current" Members Read the Journal Now! (In order to read the online version, you must be registered with the AW website and have your membership associated with your website user account.)

Last week FERC approved a whitewater recreation plan for the North Fork Rogue. We are pleased to be working with PacifiCorp who has committed to immediately implementing the plan and providing the whitewater recreational opportunities this summer.

On June 18th the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a new 50 year license for several dams on the Spokane River, near Spokane Washington and Post Falls Idaho. The license is based on several years of intense negotiations between the power company, tribes, agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club, Northwest Whitewater Association, and American Whitewater were involved on behalf of paddlers. The results of the new license are significant, and paddlers will certainly notice some positive changes in the not too distant future.

American Whitewater is pleased to announce the 2009 release program for West Rosebud Creek, located in Montana's beautiful Beartooth Mountains. Paddlers should expect optimal boating conditions on weekends beginning sometime in early to mid July and these conditions will likely continue well into August. Read this article to learn how to predict flows, and enjoy West Rosebud safely!

This spring Lewis County PUD released a Draft Study Report for Chehalis River Water Retention Facilities. If implemented, the plan calls for the construction of two dams including a 220 foot high and 1960 foot wide dam on the mainstem of the Chehalis River and another slightly smaller dam on the South Fork Chehalis. This project would inundate a whitewater river along with high quality salmonid habitat.

Over the past several months American Whitewater has been participating in mediated settlement negotiations regarding the fate of two dams that are part of the Sullivan Creek hydroproject, which has not generated power in over half a century. The negotiation team is exploring opportunities for enchancing the management of Sullivan Lake in a manner that benefits both recreation and the environment, and is considering options including removal for Millpond Dam.

Come see American Whitewater at this year's Potomac Fest, July 11-12 in Great Falls, MD/VA!

Just minutes from the Nation's Capital, the 19th Annual Potomac Whitewater Festival will be two days of fun events organized to delight beginners, experts and spectators alike.

Paddle rafters, catarafters, IKers, and inflatable paddlers of all kinds, our issue celebrating inflatable paddlers--their unique approach to whitewater, their accomplishments, and their culture--is coming up soon. Deadline for submitting material for the Inflatible Issue is August 31. Please contact the editor directly at editor@americanwhitewater.org

Time to submit your photos for consideration for the American Whitewater 2010 Calendar!

You have until July 19th to submit your photos to be featured in the 2010 calendar. See the full article for complete details on how to be a part of one of AW's most popular publications.

Today the proponents of a hydropower project on the Cuyahoga River sent the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission a letter withdrawing their permit request. The proposed project would have dewatered a local paddling spot called Butterfly Rapids, impacted a public park, and assured the maintenance of a dam that has long been a prime candidate for removal based on its environmental and recreational impacts.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has written a letter to FERC and the State Water Resources Control Board recommending that the releases on the Pit River, above the Pit 1 Powerhouse, should be canceled this summer. They cite concerns of potential impacts to Shasta Crayfish. American Whitewater was not consulted before making this recommendation and USFWS staff has stated that impacts to recreation was not a consideration. If you wish to boat the Pit this summer or in the future you need to write a letter now!

Earlier this week Jackson County, NC county Commissioners decided to attempt a takeover of Dillsboro Dam on the Tuckaseegee River using their power of eminent domain, also known as condemnation. It remains unclear if they can legally accomplish this feat, however it is almost certain that this development will delay the restoration activities planned all along the Tuckaseegee River.

AW's Summer Membership Drive Winners for May are announced here. Read the full article and see if you won!

Don't worry, there's still time to get in on the contest. Join, Renew or make a donation (if you're already current) today!

American Whitewater would like to recognize Bob Focht as our June volunteer of the month. Bob was the lead volunteer this year at the Tallulah Releases in Georgia. He led a team that oversaw parking at the put-in, the signing and collecting of waivers to access the gorge plus lots more. Bob's a perfect example of the valuable role that volunteers play at American Whitewater. Thanks Bob!

The Washington Department of Ecology has just released an environmental review to address how sediment will be managed during the proposed removal of Condit Dam on the White Salmon River in October 2010. Comments on the review document will be accepted until July 20, 2009.

American Whitewater's 2008 Annual Report is now ready for you to download and read. The AW Annual Report is one of the most important pieces that American Whitewater puts out each year. It details the progress of our river stewardship programs throughout the nation. It also features our Revenue and Expense reports for fiscal year 2008 so you can see AW's various sources of income and also where your contribution gets spent.

Download and print your own 8.5'' x 11'' poster for AW's Summer Membership Drive. This is the exact same graphic that will be running in upcoming editions of the AW Journal and it's yours free to print and post wherever you'd like to show your AW support.

Enjoy!

Today, American Whitewater filed a formal challenge of a May 1, 2009 decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to prohibit public boating access to New York's Ausable River for 7 months of the year, while allowing access the other 5 months. Securing 5 months each year of public river access to this incomparable river - after decades of no access whatsoever - is certainly a major success for American Whitewater and the paddling community. While we are challenging the unfounded 7-month annual closure, we would like to thank the many paddlers and organizations that wrote FERC in favor of public access to the Ausable River over the past several years.

American Whitewater and our attorneys have been in contact with US Forest Service officials at the local, regional, and National level asking for prompt resolution of the mismanagement of the Chattooga, which has now been delayed over 2 years. The USFS has not set a new deadline for releasing their long overdue decision, nor shared a reason for the delays.

Ten hard-working local paddlers just got the Upper Yough Access area in Sang Run into top shape for the '09 season. This facility, owned by the State of Maryland, has been maintained by American Whitewater volunteers for the last 8 years. John Regan and his tractor spread 50 tons of gravel over the well-used parking lot and brush-hogged the outer field to the boundary line. AW spent $800 of your access donations on gravel and ties and need another $800 to keep the portable toilet serviced all year. We couldn't do this without access donations from countless river users like you. Don't forget to donate! We suggest $2 per day or $20 per season.

American Whitewater has released an updated website! This is the first release of the new website since February of last year. There are hundreds of updates, new features, and several bug fixes as well. Please excuse us over the next couple days as we tweak our website settings for optimal performance.

Please feel free to leave feedback on the new website by logging in and posting on our new website thread in the American Whitewater general forum.

The US Army Corps of Engineers announced two additional meetings and an extension of the scoping comment period for the RWSP, also known as the Green River Pumpback. One of the proposed benefits of the RWSP, the largest water project in Colorado's history, is the mitigation of future pressure on the Upper Colorado River and the state's western slope rivers. With the recent ACOE announcement, western slope communities will have a chance to review and comment on the proposed project. The comment period has been extended until July 27, 2009 and two additional scoping meetings will be conducted in both Grand Junction and Craig, Colorado.

This summer, everyone who joins AW or makes a $10 or more donation between May 1 - October 1 will be entered into a nation-wide raffle to win some great prizes. Monthly drawings will be held for prizes from Immersion Research, Kayak Session, Keen, LVM, Smith Optics and Yakima. On October 15th we will be announcing the winners of not one but two grand prizes (one trip per winner): A paddling trip to Mexico with River Gypsies and a paddling trip to Ecuador with Small World Adventures!

After three years of waiting a new flow schedule for the Cresta reach of the North Fork Feather River has been approved by FERC. This flow shecdule is a result of colaboration between American Whitewater, PG&E and the State and Federal resource agencies. New higher base flows will begin on May 1st.

Clif Bar and American Whitewater team up to promote river stewardship and safety efforts in paddling clubs. American Whitewater and Clif Bar are pleased to announce the 7th annual Clif Bar Flowing Rivers Campaign, pledging $2,500 to American Whitewater Affiliate Clubs for river stewardship work. Funding for this very effective program is provided by Clif Bar.

Yesterday Montana Governor, Brian Schweitzer, signed into law a stream access bill that passed the Montana House and Senate with strong bipartisan support. The law recognizes that both rivers and roads are public highways and that the public can legally travel from one to the other. At the same time the law meets landowner interests of protecting their land and livestock through attaching access-friendly fences to county roads and bridges through the public easement.

Last week, the owner of the Holtwood Hydroelectric Project on the Susquehanna River resubmitted their project expansion proposal to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and requested expedited approval. This action restarts the process for modifying the Holtwood Project that was shelved in December. American Whitewater and our partners are working with the owner to fully implement the settlement agreement we signed last year to minimize and mitigate recreational impacts of this hydro-project expansion.

Currently Kaukauna Utilities is applying for a new license to increase capacity at the Badger Rapide Croche Hydroelectric Project. We are working with the National Park Service Hydropower Assistance Program to conduct a survey of instream flow needs for recreation. If you boat the Fox River you can help by taking the survey today.

Last week Senator Feingold (D-WI) reintroduced the Clean Water Restoration Act (CWRA), S. 787. This legislation will maintain the basic protection for rivers that we all appreciate and likely take for granted through restoring the reach of the Clean Water Act to headwater streams. We would like to thank Senator Feingold for looking out for one of our most basic human needs - clean water. Please call your Senator in the next week and voice your support.

American Whitewater has joined the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their Green Power Partnership. AW has purchased enough renewable energy certificates (RECs) from Clean Currents, a leading supplier of wind energy credits, to offset energy usage in our national office.

American Whitewater would like to recognize Molly Buirgy as our April Volunteer of the Month.

As a fan of healthy rivers and the iconic Colorado River rafting trip, Molly never hesitated to invest her energy over the past several months in helping AW update it's inventory of whitewater rivers in Colorado. Paddlers around Colorado will now find the AW River database to be the most comprehensive and organized listing of whitewater runs available. Thanks Molly!

Green River, Wyoming - After much anticipation, the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) has announced the first set of public meetings on thecontroversial Regional Watershed Supply Project (RWSP)--also known as the Green River or Flaming Gorge Pumpback. The Project proposes to remove up to 250,000 acre-feet of water from the Green River at Flaming Gorge, sending it east through 500 miles of pipelines to Colorado's Front Range. The project also proposes two new reservoirs for Colorado's Front Range. The ACOE will be holding several meetings to describe the project, the NEPA process, and to solicit input on the issues and alternatives to be evaluated before permiting the RWSP.

Dolores River - Colorado

Here we are in mid-March with the high elevation snow in the Dolores and San Miguel watersheds at about 106% of normal and dropping daily. Therefore estimates for spring flows in the Lower Dolores River below McPhee Reservoir are a little below normal. The first projections of this years releases for the Lower Dolores are now available.

Utah House Bill 187, a recent bill that would have made it illegal to paddle all but a short list of rivers, was voted down last week in the Utah Legislature, reintroduced, and was voted down again. We would like to encourage continued participation in this important public debate and hopefully public access to public rivers can be protected.

The deadline for contributing to our May/June issue is Wednesday, March 4th! Contact editor@americanwhitewater.org for more details.

Our nation's leaders are currently considering the passage of a large economic stimulus package designed to put people to work and stimulate the economy. All current versions of the package include significant funding for construction and restoration projects on federal lands. American Whitewater has joined forces with other members of the Outdoor Alliance to compile a list of infrastructure projects that are important to the active outdoor recreation community. Please offer your suggestions through our easy online survey.

Prevent the transport of nuisance species. Clean all recreational equipment.

There is a new invasive species in California. The zebra and quagga mussels, originally from Ukraine, landed in the Great Lakes in the 1980s and have spread steadily throughout the Midwest and Mississippi River.

American Whitewater and various stakeholders have formed a Working Group in the Lower Dolores River Valley to update the 1990 US Bureau of Land Management's Lower Dolores River Management Plan. In December 2008, the Working Group launched a year-long process to develop and evaluate alternatives to Wild and Scenic River designation for the Dolores below McPhee Dam.

Ohiopyle State Park held a public meeting to gather input and obtain feedback on a proposal submitted by the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks for private boater access to Ohiopyle Falls. American Whitewater is now asking for boater letters supporting the park proposal, which must be submitted by December 31, 2008.

We ask that paddlers familiar with Idaho's Black Canyon of the Bear River fill out a short one-page online survey. The survey will help us understand paddler's preferences for flow volumes and scheduling. American Whitewater strives to represent the interests of the paddlers that are out on the water, and surveys are a big help.

The 2009 American Whitewater Calendar is available in our online store. This is the perfect calendar for your home or office; it's full of spectacular imagery from rivers throughout the country. Order yours today so when you aren't on the river you can at least stare at one!

Don't Delay. . .Order today!

The Bureau of Reclamation has released the long-awaited Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Windy Gap Firming Project. The Project, proposed by the Municipal Subdistrict of Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District would move the Colorado River another step closer to being a "flat lined" river, with flows perpetually at low flow levels. The Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled two public meetings where citizens can offer written and oral comments: one in Loveland on October 7 and one in Granby on October 9.

A new SC state Attorney General's opinion suggests that public river access at bridges, and recreational activities like fishing and boating (including scouting and portaging) within the bounds of the high water mark are likely legal activities on navigable rivers in the state. This positive opinion is not a substitute for a definitive judicial ruling, however it will guide the officers and agents of the State in their law enforcement practices.

As paddlers and stewards of America's whitewater resources we have much to be thankful for in 2007. Your support of American Whitewater enabled us to gain ground on significant issues facing our rivers both at a regional and national level.

Our regional river stewardship program, an integrated approach to the American Whitewater mission of conservation, access and safety, is performing at a very high level. Our stewardship team is racking up on-the-ground achievements while building internal capacity to more fully involve the paddling community. This Annual Report highlights the methods and achievements of our stewardship efforts.