Articles

    Paddlers are in the news this week, speaking out in support of protecting our nation’s remaining federally owned roadless lands.   Paddlers Rebecca Giddens and Mark Singleton authored an editorial on roadless area protection that has been picked up by several large newspapers including the Sacramento Bee and the Salt Lake Tribune.  Rebecca Giddens is co-owner of Kern River Brewing Company and is an Olympic silver medalist. Mark Singleton is the Executive Director of American Whitewater, and Chair of the

The Green River Headworks is one of the most popular beginner whitewater runs in the Puget Sound area serving paddlers from Tacoma, Seattle, and neighboring communities. The run starts at the City of Tacoma headworks where flows are diverted for municipal drinking water. With increased security requirements the City of Tacoma has constructed a new watershed entrance gate that limits access to the historic put-in. In anticipation of this change, Friends of the Green worked in partnership with American Whitewater,

The federal statute governing hardrock mining (e.g., gold, uranium, and copper) has been basically the same for the last 135 years. Much has happened since then, especially how Americans relate to their public lands and waters. H.R. 2262, The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, was passed out of the Natural Resources Committee last week. American Whitewater, through our membership in the Outdoor Alliance, has been working to highlight the benefits of modernizing mining laws for those who enjoy

The coffer dam at Marmot Dam site was breached this afternoon. The event started with a small flow with the true breaching at 5:28 pm. Flows were approximately 1900 cfs at breaching with a forecasted peak of 2800 cfs.  The channel that formed is well defined and nicely sloped. We do not have information on current boating conditions but request that anyone with additional information provide feedback to AW.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water Act – the landmark legislation that protects paddlers and the rivers we enjoy from pollution impacts.  American Whitewater was honored to receive an invitation to testify before Congress to celebrate and discuss this environmental milestone. Earlier today, American Whitewater’s executive director, Mark Singleton, presented oral and written testimony, on behalf of the Outdoor Alliance.  The Outdoor Alliance (www.outdooralliance.net) is a coalition of human-powered recreation based organizations that share a common

On September 25th, American Whitewater staff members Kevin Colburn and Mark Singleton spoke at a public hearing in Cullowhee, North Carolina, in support of removing Dillsboro Dam on the Tuckasegee River.  The hearing was held by the North Carlina Division of Water Quality to take public comment on the issue, prior to the agency issuing (or refusing to issue) a permit later this year for the removal of the dam.  The dam removal received the support of the Federal Energy

Over the past few months, American Whitewater has been working with New England Flow and the Appalachian Mountain Club to analyze a proposal by the Vermont ski area Mount Snow to use water from the Deerfield River’s Somerset reservoir for snow-making.  The proposal would have required the construction of a 18,000 foot water pipeline that would cross lands protected by a conservation easement that was negotiated as part of the 1994 Deerfield River dam relicensing settlement agreement.  It also would

Georgia Power issued the following press release regarding Tallulah releases. October 9, 2007 Drought causes cancellation of Whitewater flows in Tallulah Gorge Tallulah Falls, Ga. – Georgia Power, in accordance with its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licenses to operate hydroelectric power projects, has cancelled the whitewater flows for the Tallulah River that were planned for the first three weekends in November. If the flows into Lake Burton are below 95 cubic feet per second (CFS), Georgia Power has the option

The Tuolumne River needs your help!   As part of its Water System Improvement Program (WSIP), the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has proposed diverting an additional 25 million gallons of water per day from the Tuolumne River.   In total, about 60% of the Tuolumne River is already diverted for urban and rural uses, and increasing diversion will do further harm to the River.  The SFPUC already diverts one-third of the Tuolumne River as it flows through Yosemite National

Few people in modern America have as much direct contact with river water as paddlers do. River water enters our bodies every time we go paddling through our mouths, noses, ears, eyes, and any cuts or scrapes we may have. Few of us would scoop up a glass of water from the rivers we paddle and drink it, but in many ways that is exactly what we do every time we go paddling. As we approach the 35th Anniversary of

American Whitewater is completing an assessment of whitewater resources in the North Cascades. The North Cascades is a section of the Cascade Range of Western North America that spans the border between British Columbia and Washington. The information from this survey will be used in the development of a recreational resources layer in partnership with The Wilderness Society and other organizations. It will help us prioritize our river protection efforts through the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, determine how to

American Whitewater received the following email on October 1, 2007: Mr. Mark SingletonExecutive DirectorAmerican Whitewater Mark – Due to the exceptional drought that Northeast Georgia has experience this year, Georgia Power has already cancelled the aesthetic flows from Tallulah Dam for this season.  Due to the projections from the National Weather Service for the rest of this year and into the spring of 2008, Georgia Power has also determined that it will not be releasing water for the whitewater boating

The wild canyons of the North Fork of North Fork American River are nestled between the main North Fork American River and I-80 in the Sierra Nevada range. With headwaters just above Lake Valley Reservoir near Emigrant Gap, it is truly one of the jewels of the North Fork American River drainage. This mostly free flowing tributary drops nearly 4000 feet as it flows 16 miles from the reservoir to its confluence with the main North Fork American at Euchre

What a weekend we had!  With a drought in firm place throughout most of the country paddlers flooded into the mountains of West Virginia this past weekend for the 2007 American Whitewater Gauley River Festival presented by Subaru.  Paddlers were treated to warm sun filled days and blue skies overhead, which many people will tell you is a rare treat for running the Gauley. The festival is a huge fundraiser for American Whitewater’s stewardship work. In addition to AW’s largest