California

For more than two decades, American Whitewater has led the effort to restore California’s rivers affected by hydropower development, reconnecting people to hundreds of miles of flowing water across the state. By engaging in the federal dam relicensing process, the organization has used science-based approaches to return more natural flow patterns to rivers such as the Feather, American, Kern, McCloud, and Rubicon. This work has improved conditions for fish and wildlife, revitalized riparian ecosystems, and created new opportunities for human-powered recreation. Through these efforts, American Whitewater has helped ensure that hydropower projects are managed with equal consideration for ecological health, recreation, and community values, setting a national model for watershed restoration that benefits both rivers and the people who care for them.