Region News

Congratulations to Steve Mills for winning the April pair of Smith Optics Sunglasses.  Join or donate to be entered in for the next pair of sunglasses and the trip in Ecuador with Small World Adventures.  Help AW protect rivers here in the states and you could win a trip with Small World Adventures in Ecuador.   With generous support from Smith Optics and Small World Adventures American Whitewater is hosting a fundraising and membership drive ending on October 1, 2008.  Anyone who joins or renews their AW membership or donates at least $10 to support our river stewardship efforts will be entered in a raffle to a week long trip in Ecuador with Small World Adventures and monthly prizes from Smith Sport Optics. 

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently rejected a formal challenge of their order to remove Dillsboro Dam on the Tuckasegee River (NC).  This decision clears what may be the final hurdle in the way of removing Dillsboro Dam.  The decision also supports the settlement agreement that AW signed with many stakeholders in 2003 calling for the dam to be removed, and releases from upstream dams enhanced. 

A group of ladies started a discussion about the need for an all women's paddling event. Plans progressed and the Boater Chick Festival benefiting American Whitewater was born. This first annual festival is a gathering of female boaters in the class II-V whitewater range. The location will be at Nantahala Outdoor Center in Wesser, North Carolina on Saturday May 17th and Sunday May 18th. The hope is to encourage women in boating to get more involved, show off, improve their skills, meet other women in boating, paddle together, compete, and celebrate.

Each May lovers of rivers and music gather on the banks of the French Broad River to celebrate the mountain lifestyle at the French Broad River Festival.  The festival gives back to the community by raising funds for the river stewardship work of American Whitewater and various local charities.  At the 2008 French Broad Festival American Whitewater is partnering with Riverlink, an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the French Broad River, to encourage river stewardship in paddlers by organizing a river cleanup on the French Broad River. The river cleanup will be hosted by the Nantahala Outdoor Center, national partner of American Whitewater on Friday, May 2, 2008. 

Last fall a proposal surfaced to build 250 homes on a 650 acre tract of land along North Carolina's Wild and Scenic Wilson Creek.  Public support for protection of the land contributed to a withdrawal of the development proposal and negotiations between a land trust and the owner.  This week, it was announced that the land will be purchased by the Foothills Conservancy and transfered to public ownership!

American Whitewater and Clif Bar are pleased to announce the 6th 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. American Whitewater Affiliate Clubs have the opportunity to apply for one of two $1,250 grants. Grants will be distributed to clubs for projects that promote river stewardship, conservation, access and/or safety education on our nation’s rivers.

The Sumter National Forest told AW today to expect even more delays in the release of their Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding recreational use in the Wild and Scenic Upper Chattooga River corridor.  Now a full year late, and fraught with problems, it is unclear when the EA will be released.

Many paddlers are probably wondering what the hold-up is on the releases planned for the West Fork of the Tuckasegee and the Upper Nantahala.  Current challenges to the removal of Dillsboro Dam are delaying the process.  In this article we share background behind these challenges.