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2002 Ohiopyle Falls Race and Freestyle

The Fourth Annual AmericanWhitewater Ohiopyle Falls Race and FreestyleFri-Sun, September 27-29, 2002Website under construction! Check back for official info and updates! Info Endorsement (260 k)Entry Form Adult Waiver Junior Waiver OhiopyleState ParkAWOhiopyle Falls StreamKeeper PageAWLower Yough StreamKeeper PagePrevious Years’ Race Results:199920002001Click here toorder the 2001 Race Video.Click here toorder the 2000 Race Video.Article:History of the Ohiopyle Falls Race, by Barry Tuscano (184k; requires the Acrobat reader)This Event Weekend will benefit American Whitewater’sAccess Programs, and local community and environmental causes chosen

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Bruce Carpenter: Award Winning River Advocate

Congratulations to New York Rivers United’s Bruce Carpenter on being named this year’s River Conservationist of the Year by the Adirondack Council! If you paddle in New York you should know the name Bruce Carpenter. Here at AW we have recognized Bruce for years as an effective and passionate river advocate, who has saved countless miles of river and acres of forest in New York State. Bruce regularly works closely with AW staff and volunteers, and has accomplished a great

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Potomac Public Meeting Re Lock 34 Access (WV)

The Park Service has scheduled a public meeting on August 7th, from 7pm to 9pm at the Cliffside Inn, Harpers Ferry, WV. The meeting will be held in Parlor A. The purpose of the meeting is to review the issues and options for Lock 34. American Whitewater is seeking a volunteer (private boater) to attend the meeting and report back to us. If you can attend, please contact AW’s Access Director Jason Robertson at 301-589-9453 to learn more about volunteering.Lock

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Grand Canyon Planning Meetings Continue

This release is from the GCPBA, an AW affiliate. We encourage you to attend today’s meeting if possible in Salt Lake or Thursday’s meeting in Flagstaff. gcpba Newswire – River Planning Comes to Salt Lake, Tuesday the 6th at 4:00 PM August 4, 2002Since river runners often speak with fondness for beer and plenty of it, The Tivioli Center, a former brewery in downtown Denver seemed like a fitting place to start the public input process last Thursday August 1st,

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White House Reviews Rules for Public Comments (NEPA)

It sounds irrelevant to river running, however the public comment provisions under NEPA are central to AW’s ability to advocate for you. NEPA provides a forum for public discourse and review of federal decisions affecting the environment. Our ability to influence river management by the Army Corps, Forest Service, Park Service, Federal Energy Regulatory Authority and other agencies comes directly from NEPA. Please submit written comments before AUGUST 23 to the NEPA Task Force through the NEPA Task Force link

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Deerfield Riverfest is a HUGE Success!!

Deerfield Riverfest was a HUGE Success!Due to the efforts of many volunteers, generous sponsors, and the patronage of the Northeastern paddling community the Deerfield Riverfest was able to raise several thousand dollars to support AW’s conservation and access work. One boater said “I wait for this fest all year and it is even better than Christmas because it lasts a whole weekend.” Great music by the Hemlock Gorge Boys, world famous barbeque, and great new activities made the Deerfield Riverfest

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RUSSIAN RIVER ACCESS RE-ESTABLISHED (CA)

WAY TO GO TOM!!! The “Take Back Our River Day”, a paddlers’ act of civil disobedience on the Russian River scheduled for August 17th, will not be held. Tom Meldau, President of the Sequoia Paddling Club, long-time AW member and volunteer, in meeting with representatives of Syar Industries has negotiated access to the historically used path around the county-installed dam at Memorial Beach in Healdsburg. The fence that the gravel company has installed will remain, but a gate manned from

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Volunteers Help AW Maintain Upper Yough Access Site (MD)

In late July, American Whitewater volunteer, board member, and safety guru Charlie Walbridge arranged the delivery and distribution of gravel at the Upper Yough’s Sang Run access point. Several volunteers have also helped mow the grass and pick up trash this summer.American Whitewater maintains this site with the help of our volunteers under a cooperative agreement with the state of Maryland. Toilet rental, maintenance overhead and other expenses are paid for with visitor donations.AW began managing the site in 2001

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Havasu’s Revenge? More Cases of Stomach Illness Reported in Grand Canyon (AZ)

August 1, 2002For Immediate ReleaseCONTACT: Maureen Oltrogge 928-638-7779 National Park Service Investigating Outbreak of Gastrointestinal Illness on the Colorado River Grand Canyon, AZ – The National Park Service is currently investigatingnine cases of gastrointestinal illness reported on the Colorado River earlythis morning. The illnesses were reported by a river guide on a commercialtrip camped at Hells Hollow at River Mile 183 near Whitmore Wash. Two ofthe nine individuals, a 47 year old male and a 16 year old male, weretransported

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Top 10 Conservation and Access Issues

            AmericanWhitewater is poised for another amazing year of river advocacy, possibly oneof our most impressive ever. In the next 12 months the AW team will be bringingyou releases on several phenomenal new rivers that will revolutionize paddlingin those regions, protecting and restoring fair public access to some of thenations greatest rivers, conserving thousands of acres of riverside land,representing you in the halls of federal government, and working hard to makesure we can keep doing all of these amazing things

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Volunteer of the Month-Nancy Gilbert

If you’ve ever attended a Gauley Fest or Ocoee Rodeo, chances are you’ve seen and perhaps met Nancy Gilbert. Nancy, along with her husband and AW board of director Joe Greiner, have been volunteering tirelessly at both events for many years. You’ll usually find Nancy at the Gauley Fest entrance and registration and scoring tables at the Ocoee Rodeo, so stop by and say “hi” and be sure to thank her.Nancy began paddling after her fiftieth birthday as a means

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Image for Volunteer of the Month-Nancy Gilbert

Volunteer of the Month-Nancy Gilbert

If you’ve ever attended a Gauley Festival or Ocoee Rodeo you will have seen and quite possibly met Nancy Gilbert. Nancy, along with her husband and AW board of director Joe Greiner, has been a tireless volunteer at both events. You’ll ususally find Nancy at the entrance to Gauley Fest and handling registration and scoring at the Ocoee Rodeo, so be sure to say hello.A lover of the outdoors, Nancy first got into paddling after her fiftieth birthday to have

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Saturday, the parking issues are tremendous and we ask ALL kayakers to please use the shuttle service located at the Cresta Powerhouse. Rafts need to use a separate put-in so ask at the American Whitewater booth for directions. The shuttle service is a paltry $5.00 donation, and makes life easier for everybody. Sunday, we will also provide the shuttle but things are more flexible concerning parking. Furthermore, there are several runs available depending on your skill level. The section from

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Image for AW Preserving Boating Opportunities on the Upper Colorado River

Help Protect WV Rivers Today!

New Plan for the Monongahela National Forest The Management Plan for the Monongahela National Forest is now being revised and public comments accepted. The current management plan is outdated. This is the first time since 1985 that we have had a chance to significantly change how the Forest will be managed. The process has been described as determining “if the Forest’s one million acres of public land will be an all-you-can-eat buffet for the logging industry, or managed with conservation

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Image for Ocoee Flume Breaks, River Flows!

Ocoee Flume Breaks, River Flows!

On Saturday, July 14, an enormous rockside near Tablesaw caused considerable damage to the Ocoee #2 diversionary flume, placing a 40-foot hole in one side, destroying cross beams and supports, and moving the actual structure toward the river about 18 inches. Although the TVA is rushing to make repairs, there is no set timeline for project completion, and it may be 5-6 weeks until a full water load can be returned to the flume. That said, whenever the TVA is

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Image for AW Deerfield Riverfest

AW Deerfield Riverfest

Here is a list of some of the products you can come and bid on to raise funds for AW’s Northeaster conservation and access work. Zoar Outdoor Pyranha Sub 7Wilderness Experiences Unlimited Wave Sport boatPerception Whitewater boat of choiceEskimo Eskimo boatPyranha Pyranha Playdeck (skirt)PS Composites (2) Kevlar helmetsLunch Video Magazine (4) Lunch Box (4 Videos)Teva Teva footwearEMS (2) Paddling DuffelsRiot Riot boatMTI LifejacketSheGear (2) Kokatat Lifejackets If you ever have the opportunity, please say thank you to these sponsors. They

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Image for AW Deerfield Riverfest Update!!

AW Deerfield Riverfest Update!!

Here is a list of some of the products you can come and bid on to raise funds for AW’s Northeaster conservation and access work.Donor: Item:Zoar Outdoor Pyranha Sub 7Wilderness Experiences Unlimited Wave Sport boatPerception Whitewater boat of choiceEskimo Eskimo boatPyranha Pyranha Playdeck (skirt)PS Composites (2) Kevlar helmetsLunch Video Magazine (4) Lunch Box (4 Videos)Teva Teva footwearEMS (2) Paddling DuffelsRiot Riot boatMTI LifejacketSheGear (2) Kokatat LifejacketsIf you ever have the opportunity, please say thank you to these sponsors. They help

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2002 GauleyFest

Nicholas County Veterans Memorial Park Rt 19, Summersville, WV Admission $5 (no glass containers permitted) join American Whitewater for an evening in celebration ofwhitewater and the great outdoors   Satisfy your paddlingneeds all in one location     HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2002 GAULEY FESTIVAL   VENDORS ! VENDORS! VENDORS! If you want it, they’ll have it.   LIVE MUSIC continuous from 7pmto 2am   2002 ir BIG GUN SHOW-  NEW this year! Lunch VideoMagazine’s encore presentation of this super production!

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Image for Piru Creek: September Releases & Boating Access

Liquidlogic Participates in First AW Blood Drive

Liquidlogic continues to assert itself as a leader in the whitewater industry by being the first organization to participate in AW’s new Blood Drive program. AW memberships represent the very life blood of the only organization that works full time making sure you have the opportunity to enjoy America’s premiere whitewater rivers. Liquidlogic understood this need and in a show of support never witnessed in the whitewater industry became the only organization to ensure that every member of the Liquidlogic

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Liquid Logic First to Participate in AW Blood Drive

Liquid Logic continues to assert itself as a leader in the whitewater industry by being the first organization to participate in AW’s new Blood Drive program. AW memberships represent the very life blood of the only organization that works full time making sure you have the opportunity to enjoy America’s premiere whitewater rivers. Liquid Logic understood this need and in a show support never witnessed in the whitewater industry became the only organization to ensure that every member of the

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Permits unlikely on Arkansas in 2003 (CO)

The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) on Colorado’s Arkansas River have decided to discontinue counting use in Browns Canyon for the remainder of the 2002 boating season. The decision was made “due to the extreme low water conditions in Browns Canyon & the corresponding low number of private boaters using this section of the Arkansas River.” This is good news for the boating community as the AHRA Managers were conducting the counts to determine whether triggers would be hit this

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AW Surveying Boaters on Grand Canyon Permit & River Management

The survey is now complete- many thanks to all who participated! This is an exciting time in the history of Grand Canyon River Management. Through our paddling community’s successful lawsuit (www.americanwhitewater.org/archive/article/348/, we were able to inspire the Park Service to reopen the planning process for the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Now, this summer, we have a unique opportunity to work cooperatively with the Park, conservation community, outfitters, and recreationists to plan creatively for the future improved river management

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County to Vote to Extend Closure on Guadalupe Tonight (TX)

The Comal County Commissioner’s Court is taking measures that will restrict access to the Guadalupe River indefinitely. This goes beyond the court order described in AW’s river closure alert on July 10, 2002.The proposed order, posted below, will be voted on tonight in New Braunfels at 8:15pm. If approved, all recreational access will be curtailed.AW’s letter to Comal County DA Dib Waldrip (email datdww@co.comal.tx.us) and Sheriff Bob Holder (email soajrh@co.comal.tx.us) is posted below.If you contact the DA or Sheriff, please

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Image for AW Restores Access to NC's Little River (Effective April 2003!)

AW Restores Access to NC’s Little River (Effective April 2003!)

Updated update: Do not paddle the Little River yet! Due to a bureaucratic glitch, the ban on paddling the waterfalls in Dupont State Forest will remain in place until the new rules are enacted… in april of 2003. This is still a great victory for paddlers, we just need to be patient. North Carolina’s Little River first drove southeastern creekboaters nuts when it appeared in Wayne Gentry’s video “southern Fired Creekin” under the name “mystery creek.” The paddlers bounced and

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Image for New USGS Gage Installed on Wild and Scenic Wilson Creek! (NC)

Act Now To Protect Roadless Lands (and Rivers)!

Subject: Roadless Protection Call-In Day TODAY PLEASE USE THE TOLL FREE NUMBER TO ASK CONGRESS TO PROTECT ROADLESSAREAS – 1-888-569-8906 Ask for your congressman’s office and then tell the staffer in that office that you fully support the Roadless Conservation Act of 2002, and that you would like to encourage the congressman to do the same when he votes on it. That is it! With the Interior Appropriations bill expected on the House floor earlynext week, we need to let

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