American Whitewater's Thomas O'Keefe will be testifying in Congress this morning (Thur Nov 5) before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

A private hydropower company has proposed to install hydropower generation facilities in two Army Corps of Engineers Dams on the West River (VT), including Ball Mountain Dam which provides releases into the popular whitewater section of the West. The Company, Blue Heron Hydro (BHH) is hosting a public meeting and site visit to discuss their proposal. Paddlers interested in the effects that the hydropower installation may have on the West River are encouraged to attend the meeting and site visit.

American Whitewater has reached agreement with Snohomish PUD and other parties to the relicensing of the Jackson Hydropower Project on the Sultan River. The future proposed license will support whitewater boating on the Sultan River and in particular the reach between Culmback Dam and the Powerhouse known as the Upper Sultan.

Earlier this week FERC granted a permit that gives a private company sole rights to study and seek to develop a damaging hydropower project on Montana's famed Madison River. The project would pipe water from Quake Lake around the Class IV/V Slide section of whitewater to a new powerhouse downstream. American Whitewater and regional paddling clubs have opposed this project and will continue to do so.

Earlier this week the US Forest Service cancelled their plans to allow a paltry six days of paddling on one small section of the upper Chattooga River (NC/SC/GA) this winter. As it has been for 33 years, the entire Upper Chattooga River now remains banned to all canoeing and kayaking, while all other existing uses have no limits. Conservation-oriented paddlers have challenged the overarching agency decision to ban paddling on the Wild and Scenic Upper Chattooga River in court and in the administrative appeals process over the past two weeks.

With a prolonged maintenance outage at Nantahala Hydro Station and higher than expected rainfall Duke Energy is expecting to begin releasing water through a gate at the Nantahala Lake Dam on Monday, November 2, 2009. This management marks an opportunity for paddlers to enjoy the Class IV+ Cascades and Class III+ Upper Nantahala, and is likely to last until late December.

Last week legislation (H.R. 1593) to protect Illabot Creek as a Wild and Scenic River passed the House of Representatives.

It's really rather simple - human-powered outdoor pursuits need a healthy climate. If the climate is out of balance, then our favorite ways to enjoy the outdoors can go from being degraded to actually disappearing. Check out a new short video on the topic, and consider taking action.

After a two-year drought in the southeast, Tallulah releases are on track for this fall. Scheduled releases occur the first three weekends in November. Release dates for November 2009 are 7 & 8, 14 & 15, and 21 & 22. On Saturday 500 cfs is released and on Sunday 700 cfs.

Conservation-oriented kayakers and canoeists sought protection in federal court on Wednesday from an illegal decision by the United States Forest Service involving the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River. The USFS decision, which was the culmination of a 2004 administrative appeal by American Whitewater, makes it a federal crime for paddlers to float the northernmost 21 miles of the River and its tributaries except on a limited seven-mile section during 6 or fewer days per year.

American Whitewater is pleased to announce Bill Cross as our 2009 River Steward of the Year. American Whitewater annually awards this honor to a single volunteer who has shown exceptional dedication to our river stewardship mission, and who has recently reached a major milestone in their efforts. In addition to our appreciation the AW River Steward of the Year Award comes with a Jackson kayak.

If you have the day off, can get the day off, have a furlough day or can even call in sick we need boaters at the October 13th EBMUD Board of Directors Meeting where they will vote to certify the Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) for their Water Supply Management Plan 2040.

If you want to obtain a permit to float the Selway, Snake, Middle Fork of the Salmon, or wild main Salmon Rivers in 2010, you need to know about changes coming in the Forest Service permit lottery and launch reservation system. The Four Rivers Lottery is going "green", incorporating an entirely online system as part of our desire to go paperless.

Right now the State of Colorado is accepting input on a management proposal for unroaded backcountry areas on Forest Service land including lands along Los Pinos, Piedra, Hermosa Creek, Mad Creek, Saint Vrain River, Conejos River, Lime Creek, Upper Animas River, Cache la Poudre, Elk River, and the Taylor River. Even though Americans already decided to protect ALL roadless areas in the Forest System through a federal plan in 2001, a plan that has been upheld in recent court decisions, the state continues to push a plan that includes some troubling provisions that impact the backcountry experience our community enjoys.

There is incredible potential for the White Salmon River to once again be home to abundant wild salmon and steelhead populations and a new whitewater run. But before this vision can be realized, the 95-year old, 125-foot Condit dam, which blocks fish passage and innundates a section of river awaiting a future first descent, must be removed. The Washington State Department of Ecology is currently accepting comment on one of the last permits the dam owner needs to make removal a reality.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced recently that there is sufficient reservoir storage behind Francis E. Walter Dam to complete all planned whitewater releases for 2009.

American Whitewater received an open letter to boaters from the National Park Service outlining Gauley River access for 2009. For the last decade AW has leased the open field at Mason Branch for private boater parking - we are leasing the field again this year. These are your AW dues at work!

American Whitewater is asking our members, particularly those living in Oregon to take action to protect the Wild Rogue. The Rogue River Wilderness and Rogue River Wild and Scenic River represents one of Oregon's most treasured natural landscapes. Legislstion in Congress (H.R. 2890 and S. 1271) will provide more comprehensive protection for the river corridor for future generations.

Public Notice - Regional Watershed Supply Project proposed by Million Conservation Resource Group.

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers announces the scoping comment period for the Flaming Gorge/Green River Pumpback has been extended to September 28, 2009.

After considerable delay, US Forest Service officials announced a final decision on managing recreation uses on the upper Chattooga River and released the Environmental Assessment.

The U.S. Forest Service is seeking public comments on a proposal to permit a "Heritage Center" interpretive site on 20 acres in the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River corridor in South Carolina. The proposal includes new construction, use of pesticides and introduction of a new user group to the Wild and Scenic River corridor where kayaking and canoeing is currently banned.

By the end of September, the Upper Colorado River Stakeholders Group will submit a local resource management plan alternative for the US BLM's Kremmling and Glenwood Springs Field Offices. American Whitewater has worked for over two years to represent paddlers in the negotiations, ensuring the plan explicitly protects flows that support a range of outstanding boating opportunities in Gore Canyon, Pumphouse, and Glenwood Canyon. The alternative plan crafted by the group seeks to balance permanent protection for recreational values in the Colorado River; water project yield; flexibility for water managers; and certainty for stakeholders.

Fifty years ago today a 7.3 magnitude earthquake triggered a massive rockslide that dammed Montana's Madison River and buried a Forest Service campground beneath 80 million tons of rock. Recently, a power company pitched a plan to divert water from the lake that was formed behind the slide to a powerhouse in the valley below, which would severely impact the river. American Whitewater, Beartooth Paddlers, and the Jackson Hole Kayak Club filed comments last week introducing legal, recreational, and ecological arguments against the project.

American Whitewater was featured prominently in a New York Times article about the benefits of dam removal to whitwater paddlers. The story is a great example of what's good for a river is also good for recreation, habitat, fish and local communities.

After several years of anticipation, Hemlock Dam removal on Trout Creek in the Columbia Gorge is underway. The crews are out doing the final work on restoring the historic channel and if all goes well over the next couple days water will once again flow over beautiful river-polished bedrock that was buried under a reservoir for decades.

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!

The 2009 French Broad River Cleanup was a huge success. Over 30 individuals participated in the cleanup on May 1st.

We are excited to announce the 3rd annual South Platte River Cleanup on Sunday, April 26th in celebration of Earth Day in Denver, Colorado. This is an all volunteer event to pick up trash along the South Platte River and Bike Paths.

Last year, we saw over 200 rafters, kayakers, cyclists and pedestrians that successfully removed over 2 TONS of garbage from the river and bike path. This year we anticipate an even larger turnout. We have even more sponsors and prizes. This is a great way to give back to your community and take care of the river and bike path that wind through Denver.

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.

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.

Removal of the Dillsboro Dam is another step closer. Superior Court Judge Laura Bridges ordered Jackson county officials to "immediately process and issue" permits that Duke Energy needs to begin dredging sediment behind the Dillsboro dam in preparation for removal.

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.

The Outdoor Alliance submitted testimony to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee regarding investments in clean energy and natural resources projects.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the regulatory agency that manages many of the leases necessary to drill for oil and gas on public land, is planning an auction of parcels in southern Utah that has the potential to impact iconic southwestern rivers. American Whitewater has joined with the Utah Rivers Council, outfitters and other business owners to protest specific parcels scheduled for auction on December 19th.

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.

Ohiopyle State Park is conducting a public open house on Saturday, Nov 22, 2008, at 1 pm to 5pm to gather input and feedback on a new proposal for private boater access to Ohiopyle Falls. The open house is a chance for the boating community to review the new park proposal, ask questions of park staff and provide comments.

Paddlers have been negotiating a new release schedule on Maryland's Upper Youghiogheny River with Brookfield Power and other stakeholders for over one year. The results have just been released in a new permit for the operation of the Deep Creek Dam. This year, and for the foreseeable future, paddlers will be treated to upper Yough releases on every Saturday from mid-June through mid-September!

The report on paddling access to the Ausable River has finally been issued: late, incomplete, biased, and erroneous. All of the data in the study support year round paddling access, and the data is generally accurate and defensible. The dam owner, New York State Electric and Gas, has maintained its position however that no access should be allowed to the beautiful Class IV river. It is now up to FERC, and AW and KCCNY will be filing comments this week requesting year round access.