Articles

Last week President Bush signed a bill making Wild Sky the first new wilderness area in Washington State in more than a quarter century. The new wilderness includes the headwaters of several whitewater runs including the North Fork Skykomish, Silver Creek, Rapid, and Beckler. Wild Sky was sponsored by Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Rick Larsen and covers 106,577 acres of forested lands on the west slope of the Cascades. Significantly, approximately 30% of the protected land includes low elevation

    Yuba-Bear/Drum-Spaulding Projects Whitewater Boating Flow Survey Study Nevada Irrigation District (NID) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) are partnering with American Whitewater to identify a preferred range of whitewater boating flows on numerous reaches on the Middle Yuba, South Yuba, Bear River, Fordyce Creek, Canyon Creek and North Fork of the North Fork American rivers.  NID operates the Yuba-Bear Project and PG&E operates the Drum-Spaulding Project in these watersheds. The projects are undergoing relicensing with the Federal

The US Army Corps of Engineers has released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) and is preparing to issue a permit, under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, to dredge and fill lower segments of Colorado’s only Wild and Scenic River, the Cache la Poudre. The Denver Regulatory Office of the Corps has released electronic copies of the Draft EIS for public review and comment.   The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District

A mining company is proposing a mine on a 588 acre tract of forest land near the Youghiogheny River in Pennsylvania.  The proposed mine would be within hearing range and likely within sight of Ohiopyle State Park, the Craelicks Rocks climbing area, Morgan Run, and the Allegheny Highlands Bicycle Trail which follows the Lower Yough.  The mining operations would divert water from Morgan Run and Johnson Run and would deliver mining wastes into 7 sediment ponds and 5 treatment facilities;

The 2nd Annual S. Platte River Clean up took place in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, April 20th, 2008.  Started by friends Mark Cohen of KEEN and Randy Thompson of Down River Equipment in 2007, the event has grown into an annual gathering of friends and families all dedicated to keeping our waterways clean.  This years event was attended by nearly 180 volunteers who rafted, kayaked, and biked along seven miles of the S. Platte River as it winds through the

A group of ladies started a discussion about the need for an all women’s paddling event.  Plans progressed and the Boater Chick Festival  benefiting American Whitewater was born.  This first annual festival is a gathering of female boaters in the class II-V whitewater range.  The location will be at Nantahala Outdoor Center in Wesser, North Carolina on Saturday May 17th and Sunday May 18th.  The hope is to encourage women in boating to get more involved, show off, improve their skills, meet other women in boating,

The 4th Annual Yough Festival and 28th Annual Upper Yough Race will take place on Saturday, July 26, 2008. Race registration will take place on July 26, from 10:00AM to 1:00PM at the liquor store parking lot across from Mountain Surf. Due to increased insurance costs the entry fee is $30.00 and includes; insurance, timing with prompt printed results, T-shirt, band, prizes, finish line refreshments, and festival admittance. A great variety of food vendors will be available at the Friendsville

  April 1-30 – Rafting flows of 800-1500 cfs are anticipated throughout the month except that flows will be reduced to 500 cfs from April 14-18 to facilitate fish surveys.  May 1-31 –  It is anticipated the flows will range between 800 cfs and 2,000 cfs in the first half of May and increase to a peak of 3,000-4000 cfs in the third week of May.  An attempt will be made to keep flows in the 2,000-2,500 cfs range over Memorial