Welcome to the American Whitewater National Whitewater Inventory

The National Whitewater Inventory is a community-built guide to whitewater rivers, made possible by paddlers who share their knowledge and experiences. Anyone can contribute by editing an existing river reach, adding a new reach we may have overlooked, or submitting trip reports and photos. American Whitewater provides the platform and support, but it is the paddling community that keeps the inventory accurate, current, and inspiring.

If you’d like to get involved, the Stream Team is a volunteer network that helps contributors connect, learn the editing process, and support one another. Whether you are making your first edit or developing detailed river content, you are welcome to take part.

History and Origins of the National Whitewater Inventory

In the 1980s, American Whitewater recognized a fundamental challenge: to protect whitewater rivers, we first had to know where they were. At the time, there was no comprehensive inventory of whitewater resources in the United States. Guidebooks were scattered, local knowledge was isolated, and policymakers often treated whitewater as an incidental or unknown resource. To make the case that whitewater was a finite and valuable public resource, American Whitewater set out to document it.

The first National Whitewater Inventory was compiled by volunteers under the leadership of Pope Barrow. Using early database software and borrowed computers after office hours, volunteers entered river information drawn from guidebooks and paddler knowledge. The earliest editions were distributed on floppy disks and in printed spiral-bound binders to federal agencies and decision-makers, ensuring that whitewater rivers were visible in planning and licensing processes. From the beginning, the project was driven by the idea that local paddlers held the best information and that a centralized database could turn scattered knowledge into an effective conservation tool.

As mapping and internet technologies emerged, American Whitewater recognized the potential to make the inventory more accessible and more dynamic. In the mid-1990s, volunteers led by David Fallside brought the inventory to the World Wide Web, transforming it from a static database into an online resource that could be updated, expanded, and shared globally. Early web pages combined river listings with flow information, access details, safety resources, and conservation updates, laying the foundation for what would become today’s National Whitewater Inventory. This shift also marked the beginning of a truly crowdsourced system, where paddlers could contribute new information and keep river data current.

The National Whitewater Inventory Today

The National Whitewater Inventory is a crowdsourced, dynamic online database and guide to approximately 6000 whitewater runs across the United States and beyond. It is built on the local knowledge of paddlers who contribute river descriptions, flow preferences, access information, hazard alerts, trip reports, photos, and more. The National Whitewater Inventory serves as a resource for boaters while also providing valuable information to river managers and partner organizations. American Whitewater staff use information from the National Whitewater Inventory to support advocacy efforts that protect whitewater rivers and enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.

American Whitewater provides and maintains the National Whitewater Inventory platform, but it is the paddling community that makes it a living, accurate, and trusted tool for exploring rivers. New contributors who would like guidance on editing or developing reach content can connect with the Stream Team, a volunteer group that supports National Whitewater Inventory contributors. The Stream Team and American Whitewater staff can provide advice on content development and help answer technical questions.

Who is the Stream Team?

The National Whitewater Inventory is built and maintained by the paddling community. Anyone can contribute information, update river descriptions, or share local knowledge, helping keep the database accurate, current, and useful. American Whitewater provides the platform and basic oversight, but the National Whitewater Inventory remains a living resource because paddlers take part in shaping it.

The Stream Team is a volunteer group of American Whitewater members who help welcome and support contributors. They answer questions, offer guidance on editing, and assist with developing new content. Whether you are adding a detailed river description, updating access information, contributing a trip report with photos, or sharing a quick hazard notice, the Stream Team and American Whitewater staff are available to help you get started. No prior experience is needed — just a willingness to share knowledge and improve the resource for others.