American Whitewater has an active program in the Pacific Northwest. Our regional conservation program features a focus on dam relicensing and continued protection of key watersheds on public land. While we are lucky that many of our rivers flow through public land we are not without access issues. The Skykomish remains one of our top ten access issues.
Recent Successes
- Public access on the White Salmon (BZ access now in public ownership)
- Opening of North Fork Umpqua after a closure related to wood hazards
- Dissmissal of ill-conceived micro hydro projects on Martin and Clearwater Creeks
- A new watershed-based management plan for the road network in Olympic National Forest
- Improved boater access along the Skagit River (bl. Suiattle)
- Removal of hazardous debris in the Cascade River
- Preliminary hydro permits surrendered for Skookum Creek
- Paddlers exempted from mandatory boater education training legislation in WA
- Restored and improved access to Sultan River powerhouse
Ongoing Projects
- Improved and restored access to the Skykomish River
- Development of improved access points and restoration efforts on the MF Snoqulamie
- Scheduled releases on the Chelan Gorge
- Spokane dam relicensing
- Klamath dam relicensing
- White Salmon, Elwha, and Sandy dam removals
- Improvements to Green River access in partnership with State Parks and City of Tacoma
- Continued input on design of Green River engineered log jam projects
- Designation of Wild Sky wilderness
- Public access to the Lower Cispus
- Working with Simpson to provide continued Wynoochee access
- Washougal River Access
- Cedar River access and slalom course
- Sultan River hydro relicensing
- Snoqualmie Powerhouse access
- Improved access to Canyon Creek (Lewis drainage)
- Seasonal closure on the Nooksack River
- Hydro project on the Nooksack River
- Addressing access issues resulting from Oct 2003 floods on the Mount Baker – Snoqualmie NF
Future Challenges
- reopening Celestial Falls to paddlers
- Providing public access on private timber land
- Pilchuck Creek Access
- Peshastin Dam hazard on Wenatchee River
- Icicle Creek access