Colorado Water Plan Update Improves Focus on Recreation
02/14/2023 - by Hattie Johnson
The Colorado Water Conservation Board finalized the first update to the state water plan at the end of January. American Whitewater submitted detailed comments on recommended changes to the draft plan that was released in the summer of 2022. Recreational considerations were included in both the original 2015 plan and the draft. However, our comments were focused on stressing the importance of river-based recreation to the economy and way of life of many communities in the state. About 50% of our comments generated some positive change to the final plan. We are grateful to the CWCB board and staff for their careful consideration of over 950 comments.
American Whitewater Seeking Wordpress Developer for Website Project
12/22/2022 - by Kevin Colburn
American Whitewater is seeking the services of a contractor with significant experience in website design, implementation, and support to produce a new version of the main American Whitewater website - www.americanwhitewater.org - in Wordpress. The project will integrate with but not replace the National Whitewater Inventory (eg River Info), our CRM, our current branding, or significant backend components of our site. The new site should provide an attractive, fun, and easy to navigate entry point for someone to learn about American Whitewater, who we are, what we do, and how we are advancing our mission, as well as providing easy and intuitive pathways for engagement inlcuding membership, donations, and calls to action. The ideal candidate will have designed, built, migrated, deployed and maintained a WordPress site that serves tens of thousands of unique users per day, and will have experience with nonprofits and working on a nonprofit budget. Experience with American Whitewater, paddling, outdoor recreation, online activism, Salesforce, and EveryAction is a plus. American Whitewater is an equal opportunity employer. Potential applicants are encouraged to review and respond to the RFP linked in the article.
Proposed Crazy Mountain Land Swap Open For Comment (MT)
12/20/2022 - by Kevin Colburn
The Forest Service is considering a proposed land exchange in Montana that would trade away public lands along Big Timber and Sweet Grass creeks in the Crazy Mountains. The proposal appears unlikely to change paddling access or other values on Big Timber Creek, but access to Sweet Grass could be greatly reduced. This area is riddled with checkerboard ownership and has longstanding public access uncertainties. Hunters, anglers, and other backcountry enthusiasts have largely panned the proposal because it reduces public access. American Whitewater submitted a comment respectfully asking that the impacts to paddling be considered, and that the proposal be modified to improve rather than limit public access. Comments are due by December 23, 2022.
Massachusetts Announces Office of Outdoor Recreation
12/13/2022 - by Robert Nasdor
Massachusetts joined 16 other states in establishing an Office of Outdoor Recreation to coordinate the efforts of various state agencies in promoting the outdoor recreation economy in the Commonwealth. American Whitewater spearheaded the effort to enact legislation establishing the new office and build support for outdoor recreation in the state.
Check Out Our Winter Stewardship Update and See What Your Membership Supports!
12/13/2022 - by Evan Stafford
At the end of every year, American Whitewater takes a hard look at the success we’ve found and the steps forward we’ve taken in our multitude of projects across the country. We then quickly turn to the future and set the next set of ambitious stewardship goals we hope to accomplish in the following year. We share these goals and the progress we’ve achieved towards them in our Winter Stewardship Update. And you should know, we have big plans for 2023! From dam removals, new instream flows in dewatered rivers, and securing new Wild and Scenic designations, to new access sites, influencing National Forest Plans and sharing our second round of American Whitewater produced whitewater safety films and other tools, we’ll have our work cut out for us. If our past success is any indication we’ll surely rise to the challenge, but we can't do it without your ongoing support to keep our work on track.
Share Your Opinions in AW's River Permit Survey
12/11/2022 - by Kevin Colburn
American Whitewater is pleased to announce a survey that will gather paddlers' opinions on the permit systems that are used to manage use on multi-day river trips. We encourage all paddlers who have ever sought a permit on a multiday trip to take the survey. The survey should take you approximately 20 minutes to complete if you give it ample thought, and is best taken on a full size computer screen versus a mobile device. American Whitewater will analyze the results, share them, and use them to inform and support recommendations to the federal agencies that manage these treasured rivers. We hope a broad cross section of paddlers will take this survey.
2023 American Whitewater Calendar Now Available
12/08/2022 - by Bethany Overfield
Our 2023 American Whitewater calendar is hot off the presses and available now. Each year, we collect the best photos from our gracious and incredibly talented community and pick out our favorites for our annual calendar. Proceeds from calendar sales support our river stewardship work. It’s an awesome fundraiser for American Whitewater and a product we know you’ll love.
Head to our webstore to purchase your calendar today OR Join or Renew at the Ender Club level or above and receive one with your membership. Pro tip: these calendars make great gifts for the whitewater enthusiast in your life!
2023 American Whitewater Holiday Offer!
12/08/2022 - by Bethany Overfield
Looking for that special gift for someone or just feeling the need to treat yourself? Our 2023 American Whitewater Holiday Offer just went live! You can get a Standard Membership ($35), 12 oz MiiR Camp Mug, and a 2023 calendar (plus shipping) all for $75. We’re excited to partner with MiiR this year as they are a Climate Neutral Certified Brand and a B Corporation. In other words, MiiR walks the walks in the sustainable/environmental world! Head to our membership form and snag a Holiday Offer today.
Trip Reports Offer Enhanced Sharing of River Trips
12/06/2022 - by Kevin Colburn
American Whitewater has revitalized the Trip Report option on our website, and we hope paddlers will take advantage of it! Trip Reports allow anyone logged into the American Whitewater website to tell the story of a river trip by sharing any combination of photos, text, date, and water levels. The most recent three reports are found at the bottom of every river page, and all reports are located on the Trip Report tab on river pages. We encourage paddlers to give it a try, and in this article we'll share a few suggestions on how we hope paddlers use the Trip Report option.
S. Rockies Stewardship Year End Review 2022
12/02/2022 - by Hattie Johnson and Kestrel Kunz
At the end of another year, we like to look back on all we’ve achieved together. Your support and engagement in American Whitewater’s mission is what makes the stewardship work we do possible. Thanks for fighting for rivers with us!
Image credit: Mark Armistead
Federal Regulators Approve Removal of Four Klamath River Dams!
11/18/2022 - by Scott Harding
Nov. 17, 2022 Today, after twenty years of sustained advocacy and studies, federal regulators approved the removal of four outdated hydropower dams on the Klamath River in Oregon and California. This will set free one of the most iconic whitewater rivers on the West Coast and help restore its imperiled fisheries, improve water quality and river recreation, and address the injustices the dams have caused for Tribal people. This is the largest dam removal project in history, and work will begin soon!
Upcoming Trainings About Public Input on SF Salmon (ID) Gold Mine Project
11/17/2022 - by Evan Stafford
A large-scale gold-antimony mine in the headwaters of the South Fork Salmon (ID), a major tributary to the Wild and Scenic Salmon River has been proposed by Perpetua Resources. The company is moving forward with plans to construct the Stibnite Gold Project despite concerns from the EPA that it would significantly harm the protected water quality of these Native American tribal fishing grounds and the classic whitewater paddling in the drainage. The Forest Service recently released a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the project, which describes the effects of the mine. Although Perpetua refers to the project as a restoration plan, the SDEIS shows that mining activities will actually degrade fish habitat and the vastly imporved water quality in this wild and pristine watershed enjoyed by paddlers from across the country and world. Our local partners in Idaho, the Idaho Conservation League, Idaho Rivers United, and Save the South Fork Salmon are encouraging members of the public and businesses to closely review the SDEIS and voice their concerns during the comment period and at upcoming public meetings held by the Forest Service. Click the read more button to find the details on the workshops and webinars these support worthy organizations are hosting in Idaho and online. SF Salmon Image by Hannah Harris.
An Evolution of American Whitewater’s Look and Feel
11/17/2022 - by Evan Stafford
American Whitewater has an incredible, storied history of river stewardship success over the past nearly 70 years. Our shared victories have not only benefited the whitewater recreation community, but truly all those communities whose rivers run through them. In an effort to continue this success and to further recognize our organization as the primary advocate for the preservation and protection of whitewater rivers throughout the United States, we’d like to be the first to introduce you to our new visual identity. A true evolution in the look and feel of American Whitewater that took place over the last year, largely as a volunteer project.
Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame Inducts American Whitewater
11/17/2022 - by Evan Stafford
The Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame and their parent organization, Southern Appalachian Paddlesports Museum, recently inducted American Whitewater into their Hall of Fame as an organization! From dam removals to securing whitewater release flows to developing and maintaining access areas, American Whitewater has had a lasting and positive impact on the rivers in the Southern Appalachians. It's honor to be recognized by our community and we enjoyed the opportunity to have Mark Singleton, our former Executive Director and Kevin Colburn, our current National Stewardship Director be the guest speakers during the Hall of Fame presentation. Thank you!
Contribute Your Stories, Images, and Art to the American Whitewater Journal
11/17/2022 - by Evan Stafford
Have a short story to tell? Maybe you've got some opinions about the latest in paddlesports? Advice for beginners? River poems? Thoughts on how to make the river a safer place? Our community wants to hear from you and the American Whitewater Journal is the perfect venue for your writing and photos! The Journal is a volunteer publication that relies on paddlers and river lovers to submit the content that fills it. Submit your content today!
2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION - CURRENT MEMBERS PLEASE VOTE NOW!
11/12/2022 - by Evan Stafford
Each year American Whitewater's membership ratifies Board of Director members to serve three-year terms. These candidates volunteer to serve on the American Whitewater Board. Current American Whitewater members can cast their votes through Midnight Pacific Time, December 13th. Currently, American Whitewater has four Director Nominees to fill four open seats for election, you may vote for up to four candidates on the slate. The ballot for our Board of Directors election is placed online here.
Request for Proposals – Redesign and Update the AW River Safety Code
11/08/2022 - by Evan Stafford
Lower McCloud (CA) Has Rare Fall Flows During Powerhouse Maintenance Until 11/12
11/01/2022 - by Scott Harding
Victory Again: AW Wins Ongoing Fight for New Hiking Trail on NF Feather (CA)!
10/26/2022 - by Scott Harding
American Whitewater’s commitment to enhancing opportunities to enjoy our rivers extends
beyond the water, and we’re thrilled to announce that we just secured the construction
of a riverside hiking trail along the Poe Run of the North Fork Feather River in California.
Once constructed, river lovers will be able to hike for three miles along the river in a
section of canyon that is away from Highway 70, which runs parallel to most of the North Fork
Feather.
Update (Oct. 26, 2022): Since we first reported our success in March
2022, the utility responsible for trail construction appealed the decision requiring it to
build the trail. American Whitewater remained engaged in the fight for the trail, and in late
October, the utility was issued a final order to construct the trail.
Wenatchee River Festival 2014 (WA)
10/25/2022 - by Thomas O'Keefe
The Wenatchee River Festival is on for this weekend in Cashmere, WA. This year's festival will include Free shuttles, Riverboard/Raft Surf Competition, Raft and Kayak Down River Races, Freestyle Event, Raft Flip-n-Recovery Event, Throw-rope competition throughout the day, Silent Auction, and Displays featuring festival sponsors, vendors and community groups. All events will take place in Riverside Park in Cashmere. Lunch will be provided by Cascade Canoe and Kayak and the event dinner and party will be at Milepost 111 in Cashmere.