River Management
American Whitewater plays a crucial role in river management, ensuring that the public can enjoy high-quality river experiences. Our advocacy efforts span local, state, and federal levels, advocating for sufficient resources to manage rivers effectively. This includes funding for amenities like toilets, river rangers, and access facilities. We actively participate in developing river management plans, aiming to set reasonable capacity limits that provide adequate user experiences within ecological limits, establishment of river river protection measures, and improvements to public access that enhance the quality of the user experience.
We also work to prevent unnecessary river closures during high water events or at perceived “high risk” locations, educating others on the safety measures taken by whitewater boaters. Our organization provides technical assistance on managing large woody debris, emphasizing its ecological importance to paddlers and advising fishery managers on where action might be appropriate to reduce safety hazards.
American Whitewater supports ecological river restoration and post-flood reconstruction efforts, offering technical guidance to maximize project benefits while enhancing ecological condition of the river and minimizing risks to human safety. We are staunch advocates for the national system of river gages maintained by the USGS and state agencies, ensuring accurate and accessible river data for all who enjoy rivers.