American Whitewater is working to protect the Green River—one of the West’s most iconic and ecologically significant rivers—from harmful water diversions and to ensure its long-term protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Flowing from Wyoming’s high plains through Utah’s canyon country before joining the Colorado River, the Green River supports exceptional recreation opportunities, world-class trout fisheries, and critical habitat for endangered species.
For more than a decade, American Whitewater has opposed large-scale water diversion proposals such as the Regional Watershed Supply Project, a private venture by the Million Conservation Resource Group. The proposal would withdraw up to 250,000 acre-feet of water annually from the Green River and Flaming Gorge Reservoir to supply growing Front Range and southeastern Wyoming communities through hundreds of miles of massive pipelines and pumping infrastructure. This project threatens to degrade river flows, harm aquatic ecosystems, and diminish the world-class recreation experiences that sustain local economies. American Whitewater continues to track this proposal, working alongside conservation partners to defend the Green River from ill-conceived diversions that would further strain the over-allocated Colorado River Basin.
In parallel, American Whitewater lead efforts to advance and implement Wild and Scenic protections for the Green River in Utah, including the segments designated in 2019 under the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. American Whitewater formally urged the agency to meet its obligations, emphasizing that the CRMP is critical to ensuring the river’s values are protected through sound science, public participation, and coordination across jurisdictions.
Through advocacy, coalition-building, and engagement in agency planning, American Whitewater is committed to ensuring that the Green River remains free-flowing, healthy, and accessible for future generations. Our work defends the river from unsustainable water withdrawals and advances lasting Wild and Scenic protections that honor its national significance and the profound experiences it offers to paddlers and river enthusiasts throughout the West.