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Image for Join American Whitewater Staff at the 64th Annual Mother's Day Races (NM)

Join American Whitewater Staff at the 64th Annual Mother’s Day Races (NM)

64th Annual Mother’s Day Races are Back in Person! Pilar, NM – May 6-8, 2022 This Mother’s Day weekend, American Whitewater’s affiliate club, the Adobe Whitewater Club of New Mexico, is hosting the 64th annual Mother’s Day Races in beautiful Pilar, NM, May 6-8. This year’s event will include down river races, slalom competition, and a freestyle or downriver rodeo and river surf competition (depending on water levels) on the 6 mile Class III whitewater section of the Rio Grande

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Image for Newly Secured Water Right Will Protect and Enhance Outdoor Recreation (CO)

Newly Secured Water Right Will Protect and Enhance Outdoor Recreation (CO)

Glenwood Springs, CO – The City of Glenwood Springs is excited to announce news that water court approved a Recreational In-Channel Diversion (RICD) recreational water right on the Colorado River for the city, enabled through agreements with Front Range cities and others. The water rights are a significant step in the right direction for protecting the river and will contribute to Glenwood Springs’ thriving outdoor economy. This is the second-ever recreational water right for the mainstem Colorado River. This news was

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Image for Middle Fork Feather & Four Other California Rivers Reopened

Middle Fork Feather & Four Other California Rivers Reopened

Great news out of California!   As a result of American Whitewater’s advocacy and the outpouring of nearly 1,000 comments from our members and supporters, the Plumas National Forest ended their boating ban on the the Middle Fork Feather River’s Devils Canyon Run, effective March 31. This iconic Wild and Scenic river is once again open to boaters and anglers, and it is running at perfect flows right now!   MF Feather River: The Forest Service closed a large part

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Image for American Whitewater Accepting Applications for Executive Director Position

American Whitewater Accepting Applications for 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, and support a positive work environment. In recent years, American Whitewater has

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Image for Electron Dam Operator Signs Agreement to Protect Puyallup River (WA)

Electron Dam Operator Signs Agreement to Protect Puyallup River (WA)

A coalition of conservation groups (American Rivers, American Whitewater, and Western Environmental Law Center) has reached an agreement with the operators of the Electron hydroelectric project on the Puyallup River to preserve safeguards for threatened Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout. The groups had sued over the facility’s illegal killing of these imperiled fish. The agreement will keep the project from operating until and unless operators can address the project’s unacceptable impacts to federally protected native fish threatened with extinction.

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Image for Nantahala Pisgah Forest Plan Released, Improvements Sought (NC)

Nantahala Pisgah Forest Plan Released, Improvements Sought (NC)

American Whitewater has been actively working on the new Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest’s management plan for almost a decade. The plan covers 1.1 million acres of public lands in Western North Carolina and some of the finest whitewater paddling anywhere. Our goals for the new plan were to increase river protections, improve recreational management, and build broad support for future Congressional Wild and Scenic River designations. Along the way we made a lot of friends, including many Forest Service staff and

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Image for River Closure Action Alert! Speak Up for Access!

River Closure Action Alert! Speak Up for Access!

The US Forest Service has banned boating on the iconic Devils Canyon Run on the Middle Fork Feather River in California, and we need you to join us in our effort to reopen the river immediately before another paddling season is lost to this ongoing, long-term river closure.   Speak up now to help open access to the MF Feather River using our super simple easy-action form!   Devils Canyon is one of the premier class V multi-day whitewater trips in

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Image for March/April AW Journal Now Available

March/April AW Journal Now Available

Our 2022 March/April AW Journal is hot off the press and will land in your mailboxes soon! You can check it out online under the ‘Library’ tab on our website.  Some article highlights include: The Returning Rapids Program on the Colorado River Recently acquired land in the Columbia River Gorge was purchased for conservation Many miles of rivers in northern California were re-opened for recreation AW Member Hank Klausman writes about the circle of life on the Chattooga River Read

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Image for 2022 North Fork Feather (CA) Releases and Opportunities

2022 North Fork Feather (CA) Releases and Opportunities

American Whitewater is happy to confirm boating opportunities for the North Fork Feather River on the Rock Creek and Cresta Reach for 2022. These flows are a part of license operations and were included in the hydropower license order that American Whitewater helped negotiate with Pacific Gas & Electric.    Currently, the water year forecast is DRY for the North Fork Feather which allows for releases of 700 cfs on the Rock Creek Reach through the end of March. If the

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Image for American Whitewater & Freeflow Institute Storytelling Program Scholarships

American Whitewater & Freeflow Institute Storytelling Program Scholarships

American Whitewater and Freeflow Institute are offering competitive $1000 scholarships for up to THREE emerging outdoor communicators in 2022. Applicants may be students or educators, aspiring storytellers in any medium, or professional journalists or environmental communicators. Past recipients have deeply valued the experiences of these river-trip based writing and storytelling workshops tought by leading professionals in the field.     The winning applicant(s) will demonstrate capacity to research and craft an excellent story. The story should be developed to meet

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Image for Expect Atypical Nantahala Flows This Spring and Possibly Longer (NC)

Expect Atypical Nantahala Flows This Spring and Possibly Longer (NC)

Duke Energy has announced that they can only generate power and release water from the powerhouse at 50% of their normal capacity on the Nantahala River due to the failure of a transformer. The powerhouse is now capable of releasing 315 cfs versus the typical 630 cfs, and these conditions are likely to persist through May, and possibly considerably longer. Duke Energy will be releasing flows from the dam into the Upper Nantahala, which is normally bypassed by a tunnel

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Statement of American Whitewater Board on Departure of Mark Singleton

After 18 years of excellent leadership, Mark Singleton is stepping down from his position as Executive Director of American Whitewater. Although we are sad to see Mark go, we support his decision to take the time to catch an eddy after such a long and fruitful run. We look forward to opportunities this transition will bring and we are grateful for the assistance Mark will provide in onboarding a new Director. We are excited to see what Mark and his

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Image for Executive Director Mark Singleton to Transition From American Whitewater

Executive Director Mark Singleton to Transition From American Whitewater

  Hi there,   Back in 2004, several of the American Whitewater Board members I knew recruited me for the position of Executive Director and I accepted. If I had known what kind of financial shape AW was really in when the job was offered I would have thought twice about taking the position, but I did accept. And in doing so, I have experienced one of the greatest career opportunities of my life. In those early years at American

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Image for AW Weighs in On NPS Potomac Access Area Closure Proposal

AW Weighs in On NPS Potomac Access Area Closure Proposal

The National Park Service recently announced a proposal to permanently close the Maryland Heights parking area, which is one of several small takeouts used by paddlers on the Needles section of the Potomac River near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Paradoxically they are proposing to close the parking area in large part because it is too popular among hikers, climbers, and paddlers. American Whitewater responded with comments asking that the parking area remain open, and pointing out that the Park Service

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Image for New Mexico Supreme Court Affirms Constitutional Right to Paddle Rivers

New Mexico Supreme Court Affirms Constitutional Right to Paddle Rivers

SANTA FE, New Mexico.  Today, the New Mexico Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the State Constitution does not permit New Mexico’s waterways to be “privatized” and sealed off from public access. The lead petitioner on the case, Adobe Whitewater Club (AWC), is an affiliate club of American Whitewater. AWC and copetitioners from the New Mexico Wildlife Federation and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers New Mexico chapter, were represented in this case by Santa Fe based attorneys Gene Gallegos and Seth Cohen.

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Image for Ashley National Forest Proposes To Roll Back Required River Protections (UT)

Ashley National Forest Proposes To Roll Back Required River Protections (UT)

The Ashley National Forest is a 1.4 million-acre National Forest in Utah that spans from the Uinta Mountains to Flaming Gorge. The Forest released their draft management plan late last year which, when finalized, will guide Forest management for the next 15-20 years. Unfortunately, the Forest’s draft plan proposes to strip protections from 26 of 28 streams they have deemed eligible for Wild and Scenic designation. American Whitewater recently filed comments on the draft plan alerting the Forest to their

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Image for Ask the National Forest Not To Pass on Davidson River Dam Removal (NC)

Ask the National Forest Not To Pass on Davidson River Dam Removal (NC)

The Forest Service is proposing to rebuild and enlarge the existing Bobby N. Setzer State Fish Hatchery along the Davidson River without removing the dam that diverts water into the facility. American Whitewater and many partner groups (including angling groups) believe that there are water withdrawal options that do not require a dam on the Davidson River, and would like to see the current dam removed as part of the renovations. Technical solutions exist. We encourage regional paddlers to submit

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Image for New Mexico Supreme Court Oral Arguments on Stream Access Tomorrow!

New Mexico Supreme Court Oral Arguments on Stream Access Tomorrow!

The Adobe Whitewater Oral Argument is scheduled for Tuesday, March 1 at 9:00 am. There is no seating in the Supreme Court courtroom; however, the Oral Argument will also be livestreamed for the public through the Supreme Court’s website at www.nmcourts.gov. On the left under NM Courts, click on Supreme Court. You will see a link saying “Click Here for Livestream of Supreme Court Oral Arguments.” https://supremecourt.nmcourts.gov/supreme-court/court-calendar-live-viewing-and-case-information/court-calendar-and-oral-argument-livestream/ The New Mexico Supreme Court has turned its attention to the public stream

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Image for Klamath River Dam Removal Takes Important Step Forward (OR/CA)

Klamath River Dam Removal Takes Important Step Forward (OR/CA)

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recently released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the proposed removal of four Klamath River dams, recommending that the dams be removed. FERC confirmed that dam removal will bring permanent and significant benefits to multiple resources, including fisheries, water quality, and recreation.   This represents an important step for the project to move forward in 2023. The public is now invited to comment by April 18th [extended to April 25th] on the DEIS

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Image for Dam Expansion would Inundate Bear Creek (CO)

Dam Expansion would Inundate Bear Creek (CO)

The proposed expansion of Bear Creek Lake, a flood-control reservoir in southern Jefferson County, Colorado, is threating to eliminate over 1 mile of Bear Creek, a scenic Class III stretch of river that is free-flowing.  The Colorado Water Conservation Board and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are in the Feasibility Study stage of storing much more water in Bear Creek Lake, a flood-control reservoir built in 1974 to protect the Lakewood and Denver areas from floods that could occur

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Image for California Rivers Through Native Eyes

California Rivers Through Native Eyes

Whether navigating the gnar on a big expedition or splashing around familiar rapids at the local haunt, paddlers naturally fall into a ritual of giving for the mutual benefit of the group. Every paddler will bring a different level of experience to share, some will volunteer to carry the spare paddle or first aid kit, and they will all make sure to stock the take-out cooler with favorite beverages. When boats finally hit the whitewater, loose relationships on shore transform

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Image for Top Ten River Stewardship Issues 2022

Top Ten River Stewardship Issues 2022

At the end of every year, American Whitewater’s staff reflects on the work we’ve done and then looks ahead to which issues we’ll be going hard on in the following year. We then come together as a group and discuss our priorities and where we see the best chance for reaching milestones and successfully completing projects. This process results in our annual list of our Top Ten River Stewardship Issues (hint: to view as spreads, click the 3-dot menu in

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Image for River Advocacy Training Series (CO)

River Advocacy Training Series (CO)

Join American Whitewater for our River Advocacy Training Series. We are hosting a series of River Advocacy sessions across Colorado during February and into March. The series will feature the following events: Crested Butte @Brick Oven Pizza on 2/15 Carbondale @Phat Thai on 2/16 A Virtual Event on 2/22 Buena Vista @The Surf Hotel on Thursday 2/24 Steamboat Springs (Date TBD) Denver (Date TBD) The goal of these events is to give AW members tools to engage in river advocacy

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Image for Take Action: Clackamas Fires Roadside Danger Tree Assessment Comment Opportunity

Take Action: Clackamas Fires Roadside Danger Tree Assessment Comment Opportunity

The Clackamas River, one of the most important paddling resources for the Pacific Northwest, remains closed several months after wildfires that occurred in September 2020. Currently the Forest Service is in the process of developing an Environmental Assessment to evaluate the status of National Forest System roads and danger trees within the areas affected by the 2020 wildfires, which include the Riverside, Lionshead, and Bull Complex Fires. The agency is soliciting public input through February 6, 2022 and we encourage

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Image for Nearly 100 Miles of Whitewater Re-opened in Far Northern California Today!

Nearly 100 Miles of Whitewater Re-opened in Far Northern California Today!

Today in far northern California, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest re-opened public access to nearly 100 miles of whitewater runs on six different rivers that had been closed since last summer’s wildfires. American Whitewater advocated for the re-opening of these rivers, and we thank District Rangers Tara Jones and Chris Losi for meeting with us and for recommending that the Forest Supervisor re-open the rivers and the surrounding 395,000 acres of National Forest land. These rivers and land had been closed

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