Articles

There will be a release from Ball Mountain Dam on the West River this weekend to manage reservoir levels. Ramping will start late Friday (6/26/2009) afternoon. Flows are expected to be 1500 cfs all day Saturday and most of Sunday (definitely in the morning). The gate at the dam will be open and Jamaica Park is open. Enjoy paddling the West in warm weather! American Whitewater is working with regional paddling clubs and local businesses to develop a collaborative relationship

Over the past several months American Whitewater has been participating in mediated settlement negotiations regarding the surrender of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for the Sullivan Creek Hydroelectric Project. The negotiation team, which is made up of a mix of state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, the Pend Oreille Public Utility District, local officials, and representatives of the local community, is working with the help of the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution to find options for resolving the

Today the proponents of a hydropower project on the Cuyahoga River sent the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission a letter withdrawing their permit request.  The proposed project would have dewatered a local paddling spot called Butterfly Rapids, impacted a public park, and assured the maintenance of a dam that has long been a prime candidate for removal based on its environmental and recreational impacts.  Beneath the dam’s reservoir is the famed Cuyahoga Falls.   The hydropower proposal met strong opposition from

Earlier this week Jackson County, NC county Commissioners decided to attempt a takeover of Dillsboro Dam on the Tuckaseegee River using their power of eminent domain, also known as condemnation.  Such powers are limited to specific circumstances, one of which is the creation of a public park.  To facilitate their takeover they formally adopted a plan this week to create a park around the dam and reservoir.   This decision comes amidst a number of lawsuits, and is an attempt

The Washington Department of Ecology has just released an environmental review to address how sediment will be managed during the proposed removal of Condit Dam on the White Salmon River in October 2010. Ecology undertook this supplemental review to better understand the implications of releasing the sediments behind the dam during dam removal. Elevated levels of naturally occurring mercury were found in some of the sediments. Studies indicate, however, that the release of the material during dam removal would actually

Today, American Whitewater filed a formal challenge of a May 1, 2009 decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to prohibit public boating access to New York’s Ausable River for 7 months of the year, while allowing access the other 5 months.  The dam owner, New York State Electric and Gas has totally blocked access to the river for the past several decades.  FERC’s decision follows a decade of analysis and public participation that culminated in a 2008 Environmental

The Wenatchee River Festival will take place once again on the second weekend in June with the main festivities on Saturday June 13. The festival will be at Riverside Park in Cashmere and we’ll have the patio reserved for food and drink. Leavenworth Mountain Sports will be sponsoring the freestyle competition and Outdoor Adventure Center will be sponsoring the downriver race. For those who want to just run the river we will have shuttle service running throughout the day on

This April marked four years since American Whitewater successfully appealed the US Forest Service decision to reinstitute a ban on paddling the Upper Chattooga River.  The highest office of the USFS found that the ban violated the Wilderness Act and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, as well as USFS policy.  They gave the Sumter National Forest two years to conduct a user capacity analysis and issue a new decision.  Last year the Sumter National Forest released an analysis of paddling on

Brought to you through the efforts of Wet Planet Whitewater and the Headwaters Institute, along with all our other donors and sponsors that make this event possible, this annual event will take place on Saturday May 30th. Check the festival website for additional information. The Headwaters Institute and its associated network of educators strive to be the premier provider of natural history, conservation, and interpretative trainings for professional guides and those who enjoy running rivers. The seminars encourage and promote

Boating Study Releases Planned for Middle Yuba SF Yuba and Canyon Creek   American Whitewater is partnering with Nevada Irrigation District (NID) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to identify a preferred range of whitewater boating flows on numerous reaches in the Yuba and Bear watersheds. Information obtained from surveys completed by boaters will help us identify flow preferences for whitewater boating. Flow preferences determined from boater surveys will be used to evaluate possible effects on whitewater boating from