Articles

On June 8, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on two Wild and Scenic River bills that would permanently protect over 830 river miles in New Mexico and Montana. This hearing was a critical milestone for these bills and moves them closer to the President’s Desk and being signed into law. American Whitewater and our partners worked hard to secure the hearing and we are thrilled to celebrate this win with our members and

After conducting a nationwide search and interviewing several highly qualified candidates, American Whitewater announced today that Clinton Begley will be its new Executive Director. The Team at American Whitewater, including our Board of Directors and Staff, were recently able to meet the finalists for the position, including Begley, and there was unanimous support for his selection.    Clinton has a passion for whitewater paddling and river stewardship, and has a long history of support and involvement with American Whitewater. He

On Tuesday, June 7, Kevin Colburn, American Whitewater’s National Stewardship Director, participated in a roundtable hosted jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Cahaba Brewing Co. on the importance of clean water protections in the Southeast. He joined stakeholders from a broad spectrum of land and water users who live or work in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee, including a director of a water and sewer utility; general

The Tonto National Forest in Arizona will receive robust protections for some of Arizona’s finest rivers. The Final Land Management Plan for the Forest was released this Spring and we are celebrating a big win for rivers. The Tonto National Forest is home to rivers like the multi-day section of the Salt River, the Verde River, and steep waterfall runs like Christopher Creek.   American Whitewater and our partners worked to advocate for more protections for these rivers and for

We’re happy to announce that the U.S. Forest Service has lifted its long-term closure of Eagle Creek and paddlers are now able to legally paddle the creek, including Punchbowl Falls. The Forest Service had closed the burned area to public access for nearly five years following the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire. American Whitewater advocated for this re-opening and played a key role in ensuring that the falls itself was not closed just as access to the creek was reopened.  

Low-Head Dams dot rivers and creeks of all sizes across the country, creating hazards to paddlers and other river users. American Whitewater and our partners have been working to include an authorization of a nationwide inventory of low head dams in the 2022 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Help us in asking the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to include the inventory in their 2022 WRDA bill.   Last week, the Senate committee on Environment and Public Works unanimously advanced

Show your support for American Whitewater with limited edition Planning for Rapids Returning to the Colorado River gear! American Whitewater has partnered again with FLOAT to bring you these tees, tanks, and hoodies, but only for a limited time! Celebrate the beauty of rivers and that ever important ingredient – flowing water! Support American Whitewater in our stewardship efforts! We have several t-shirt and hoodie styles available and for every item sold FLOAT will donate $8 to American Whitewater in

Low-Head Dams dot rivers and creeks of all sizes across the country, creating hazards to paddlers and other river users. American Whitewater and our partners have been working to include an authorization of a nationwide inventory of low head dams in the 2022 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Help us in asking the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to include the inventory in their 2022 WRDA bill.   Last week, the Senate committee on Environment and Public Works unanimously advanced

The aridification of the Colorado River basin is taking a toll on the water supply of the region. This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the Colorado River Compact, the document that dictates the distribution of water across the seven states and Mexico who rely on it. In the time since the signing of the Compact, large reservoirs have been built to supply water to growing farms, ranches and towns. Those reservoirs are at critically low levels. Cooperative and flexible

We’re so relieved and excited to announce that American Whitewater’s Biggest Public Outreach Event is back on the schedule for 2022! Started in 1983 to celebrate the derailment of a hydro-electric project that would have disrupted the flows on the Gauley River, Gauley Fest has grown to become the largest paddling festival in the world. The festival is a showcase for American Whitewater and the top whitewater vendors in the boating community.  The 2022 Festival will take place from September 15th through

Regular summertime whitewater releases will finally be coming to the Connecticut River in Massachusetts, thanks to years of negotiations during the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s relicensing of the Turners Falls hydropower dam.   This Spring, American Whitewater, Appalachian Mountain Club, New England FLOW and rafting outfitters signed a whitewater agreement that is now being finalized through a comprehensive settlement agreement and ultimately a new 50-year FERC license, guaranteeing reliable whitewater releases in the popular river reach below Turners Falls dam,

Montgomery County Maryland, on the outskirts of Washington DC, does a strange thing. The County prohibits paddling without a permit in county parks, and does not offer any permits. So through a bureaucratic sleight of hand, paddling is banned on the rivers flowing through public lands. On paper, these closures affect popular sections of the Potomac, but they’ve also had real impacts on preventing and criminalizing paddling on smaller streams like Seneca, Cabin John, and Sligo creeks. We make it

Edit 04/29/2022–AW is no longer accepting applications for the Executive Director position. American Whitewater seeks to hire a new Executive Director to lead our organization in fulfilling its mission and goals. The Executive Director is charged with managing and building the organization – through fundraising, enhancing credibility and visibility with the public and the media, financial oversight and budget expansion, and cultivating new and existing organizational opportunities. The Executive Director will provide oversight for staff, empower staff to work effectively,

A proposed reservoir upstream of the Wild and Scenic East Fork of the Virgin River is undergoing environmental review and we need paddlers to speak up in opposition!    We reported on this project last in early 2021, when we received good news that the proposed Cove Reservoir Project would require a full-scale environmental review with robust opportunities for public input instead of streamlined approval. That outcome was largely due to comments submitted by American Whitewater and our partners.   

On April 6th, the Supreme Court reversed a 9th Circuit decision that limited the ability of states to protect rivers fron the harmful effects of hydropower dams under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. The rules adopted by the prior adminstation limited information available to the states, the time for review, and the scope of conditions that states can require in the licensing of hydropower dams by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). American Whitewater, along with a coalition