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Image for Mourning Daniel DeLaVergne

Mourning Daniel DeLaVergne

American Whitewater mourns the loss of longtime river advocate and American Whitewater supporter Daniel DeLaVergne. Daniel is most well known for his joint role in founding Lunch Video Magazine and had become an international leader in whitewater cinematography. Daniel’s enthusiasm, can do attitude and devotion will be missed by all of us at American Whitewater. Daniel was a proud member, supporter, and friend. Daniel’s young life was tragically brought to a premature end this morning after being struck by a

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Image for Mourning Daniel DeLaVergne

Mourning Daniel DeLaVergne

American Whitewater mourns the loss of longtime river advocate and American Whitewater supporter Daniel DeLaVergne. Daniel is most well known for his joint role in founding Lunch Video Magazine and had become an international leader in whitewater cinematography. Daniel’s enthusiasm, can do attitude and devotion will be missed by all of us at American Whitewater. Daniel was a proud member, supporter, and friend. Daniel’s young life was tragically brought to a premature end this morning after being struck by a

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Join AW’s Midwest Stewardship Roundtable

Next weekend AW’s Tom O’Keefe will be in Madison for Canoecopia, the Rutubaga’s annual retail show that kicks off the Midwest paddling season. As part of the event Rutubaga has graciously offered space to host a stewardship roundtable at 4 pm on Saturday (3/11) in the upstairs board room. This will be your chance to learn more about AW’s work in the region and an opportunity to help us identify projects that require our attention. We will update you on

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Image for American Whitewater Signs Clackamas River Settlement Agreement

American Whitewater Signs Clackamas River Settlement Agreement

Earlier this afternoon American Whitewater joined 33 organizations in signing a Settlement Agreement to relicense PGE’s hydropower projects on the Clackamas River, OR. The Clackamas River is well known for Bob’s Hole and great playboating just a short distance from downtown Portland, OR. Recognizing whitewater interests on this river, American Whitewater worked collaboratively with PGE to complete a series of studies that included flow studies on the Oak Grove and Faraday sections, a regional whitewater demand study, a study of

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Image for Reaching Out to All Paddlers with the Spring Appeal

Reaching Out to All Paddlers with the Spring Appeal

Just like your favorite public radio station, it is time for AW to ask for your financial help.  Our Spring Appeal is online and will be in mail boxes soon.  Please look it over carefully as it is chock full of great information.  We are excited to be able to report all of this activity to you! To read the appeal online, click on Join/Donate on our main menu bar above.  This is a pdf file and will require Adobe

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Image for March AW Beta

March AW Beta

Please copy and paste this link to your browser to read our monthly e-news, AW Beta, if you don’t already! http://view.exacttarget.com/?ffcb10-fe921070756d037a77-fdfe16777461057c72157370-fef515767d6300 Sorry to all Allman Brothers fans for the typo!

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Image for March's AW Volunteer of the Month - Charlene Coleman

March’s AW Volunteer of the Month – Charlene Coleman

Charlene has been an integral part of the American Whitewater Chattooga Defense Team, with AW Board Member, Don Kinser and led by National Stewardship Director, Kevin Colburn. In 2004 American Whitewater appealed the revised forest plan for Sumter National Forest (SNF) which renewed the 30 year old ban because there was no basis for the ban in USFS record, law, literature, or legislation. The Chief of the USFS agreed the record was “deficient in substantiating the need to continue the

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Image for LYONS RIVER PROJECT - SPRING FOR THE RIVER!

LYONS RIVER PROJECT – SPRING FOR THE RIVER!

SPRING FOR THE RIVER! A NIGHT OF MUSIC, SILENT AUCTION BARGAINS AND CAJUN FOOD TO BENEFIT THE LYONS RIVER PROJECTJoin the Town of Lyons at Oskar Blues on Sunday, March 19TH for a fundraising party to help build a world-class whitewater feature on the St. Vrain River. The extravaganza will include a Cajun buffet, bluegrass music by Whitewater Ramble and a huge silent auction. The new whitewater feature will be a keystone for a new town park, which will be

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Image for 22nd Annual Tuckaseegee River Cleanup - April 22nd

22nd Annual Tuckaseegee River Cleanup – April 22nd

WHAT: Each year, Western Carolina University (WCU) teams up with the local community to help beautify an icon of Western North Carolina, the Tuckaseegee River. Last year, over 900 people volunteered to pick up trash along the river’s banks and islands.WHEN: This year’s cleanup is on Earth Day, Saturday April 22nd. Participants will meet at the UC lawn at 11am.WHAT TO BRING: Remember to come with a full stomach, hydrated and energized for the day of fun! You will be

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Image for Upcoming Bill Threatens Colorado Water Rights

Upcoming Bill Threatens Colorado Water Rights

A bill is expected to be introduced in the Colorado State Senate sometime next week that would radically diminish the ability of Colorado towns to secure water rights for whitewater parks – unless it is amended.  The bill is titled SB37, has already made it out of committee, and is sponsored by Senator Isgar.     Water-based recreation and tourism, such as rafting and kayaking, contribute significantly to Colorado’s economy and quality of life by bringing additional dollars to communities across Colorado

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Image for National River Program Threatened with Budget Cuts

National River Program Threatened with Budget Cuts

The National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program Needs Your Help   Rivers and Trails Coalition Strongly Opposes President’s Plan to Cut $500,000 from RTCA Program in 2007 Budget Proposal.   The Rivers and Trails Coalition, of which American Whitewater is a member,  not only opposes this proposed cut, but calls for a program budget increase, requesting an appropriation of $10.3 million for RTCA in fiscal year 2007.   The RTCA program is a technical assistance program of

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Image for American Whitewater at NPFF

American Whitewater at NPFF

American Whitewater is going to be at NPFF this weekend and is hosting a membership drive. In addition to the great entertainment at the film festival Mark Singleton AW’s executive director and Sutton Bacon AW president will be on hand to answer your questions about what AW is working on right now? Once Mark and Sutton enlighten you on what’s happening at AW, Ben VanCamp AW’s outreach director will be there with membership goodies for anyone that joins or renew’s

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Image for Sign Up for a River Clean-up!

Sign Up for a River Clean-up!

Calling all Boaters!     AW has a new goal for 2006: More clean-ups on whitewater rivers than ever before, with a special focus on rivers near and dear to AW’s river stewardship efforts.  To accomplish this goal we are partnering with the National River Cleanup Week® program to offer awesome incentives for participation.  We will be publishing the winner of the photo contest in our AW Journal, and will otherwise seek to grant participants fame.   For the first time, NRCW program will

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Image for Sultan River: Public Comment Opportunity

Sultan River: Public Comment Opportunity

FERC staff have scheduled two FERC scoping meetings next week to identify issues, concerns, and opportunities associated with the relicensing of the Jackson Hydroelectric Project on the Sultan River (P-2157). The two meetings are scheduled as follows: Evening Scoping Meeting Date and Time: Monday, February 27, 2006, 7:00 PM (PST) Location: PUD Electric Building Headquarters, 2320 California Street, Everett, Washington (map) Daytime Scoping Meeting Date and Time: Tuesday, February 28, 2006, 10:00 AM (PST) Location: Washington State Department of Ecology,

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Image for Lehigh River Management Announced (PA)

Lehigh River Management Announced (PA)

On February 17th, The Army Corps of Engineers announced its plans for operation of their dam that regulates the Lehigh River, for the 2006 recreation season.  The plan includes increasing storage in the reservoir to enhance their ability to provide both base flows and whitewater releases.  The plan calls for scheduled recreational releases every other weekend ffrom mid-May through September, with the possiblity of additional releases in October.  These enhancements are the result of a long process that lead the ACOE to

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Image for Comments Needed on New River Gorge Management Plan

Comments Needed on New River Gorge Management Plan

The West Virginia Wildwater Association (WVWA) is asking private boaters and paddling clubs using the New River to provide comments on the new General Management Plan (GMP). The GMP will guide development of the New River Gorge National River for the next 15 to 20 years. The park service is requesting public input; non-commerical boaters need to stress the value of activities by private individuals and groups. The initial comment period ends March 15, 2006. Your comments should focus on

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Image for Twelvemile River Dams Likely to be Removed (SC)

Twelvemile River Dams Likely to be Removed (SC)

Whitewater paddling is often a positive promotion of river conservation.  In the case of Twelvemile River, it can also be said that river conservation is a positive promotion of whitewater paddling.  In this case of PCB remediation, the restoration solution was to allow a natural flow of sediment down Twelvemile River to bury the PCBs in Lake Hartwell, insulating them from the ecosystem.  Three dams in the last two miles of naturally flowing river before the lake have prevented the

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Public Forest Land For Sale

On Friday afternoon the Administration proposed the Forest Service’s largest public land sale in decades, listing 309,421 acres up for grabs to the highest bidder in more than 30 states. Over the next few weeks the Forest Service will be preparing maps to show the locations of the property which would become available for private ownership. See the accouncement of the Secure Rural Schools Forest Service FY 2007 Initiative. The proposed land sale is part of the President’s 2007 budget,

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Image for Great Paddling Films and More in Arlington, VA

Great Paddling Films and More in Arlington, VA

Come join Liquid Logic Kayaks and Liquid Adventures for the movie release party of two great new films.  View Young Guns Productions latest offering "Dynasty" and John Grace’s much talked about film "Boofing the Iron Curtain."  Shane Benedict will be on hand to show some footage of his own and to discuss his two new boats the CR 125 and CR 250.  This event will be held at Arlington Cinema ‘n’ Drafthouse Wednesday, Feb. 22nd in Arlington, Va from 6-9 pm. 

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A Primer on Critical Incident Stress

A Primer on Critical Incident Stress  “Stress, a ubiquitous part of life, results from the totality of all that humans experience. The decisions that people make both sharpen and dull stress. Stress is part of what makes people both alive and human.”             Dr. Stephen A Pulley, Emergency Room Physician, http://www.emedicine.com A critical incident is a relatively sudden, untimely and unanticipated event outside the range of normal human experience that evokes unusually strong emotional reactions. Extreme stress has long term

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Errata Notice Regarding Idaho Boat Registration

In a recent web posting, AW staff stated that we anticipated that Idaho Representative Bob Nonini would be introducing boat registration legislation. Representative Nonini has since contacted American Whitewater and stated that he had absolutely no intention of introducing such legislation, and would not support it if it were to be introduced. We respectfully offer our formal apologies to Representative Nonini, acknowledge that our statement was in error, and appreciate his support of our interests.

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Stop I-3 Coalition makes progress

The Stop I-3 Coalition continues to make progress in keeping an interstate from being built through our magnificent Southern Appalachian Mountains and the Piedmont, but we need your help to affect further study of this ruinous highway. We are asking each of you on February 14 to send a postcard to J. Richard Capka, Acting Director Federal Highway Administration 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. If you can not send a postcard that day, then please send a faxed

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Chattooga Study Will Include Boating

The Sumter National Forest announced the data collection techniques they intend to employ in conducting a user capacity analysis on the upper 21 miles of the Chattooga River, on Friday, February 3rd.  The plan includes the first legal whitewater boating on the upper reaches of the Chattooga in over 30 years.     The SNF’s announcement outlines a broad analysis framework, and members of the SNF staff have noted that they have yet to develop detailed methodologies.  They do not yet, for example, know how many paddlers will

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