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Access to Chattooga River Headwaters: 00, 0, & 1, GA/SC/NC

Summary . Review Issue . Proposed Solution . EndnotesISSUE: On July 1, 1976 the Forest Service banned legal boating access on the Chattooga River above the Highway 28 Bridge. In November 1999, American Whitewater mobilized support and submitted a proposal to the Forest Service requesting limited opportunities for whitewater boating on the beautiful Class IV-VI headwaters of the Chattooga. About 450 American Whitewater members wrote letters supporting our proposal. This should be sufficient to ensure that the issue is addressed

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SPECIAL 4000 CFS RELEASE ON GAULEY RIVER PLANNED FOR GAULEY FESTIVAL TUES, 9/25

In addition to the usual Friday through Monday releases Gauley Festival Weekend, there will be a special 4000 cfs release on Tuesday, September 25 to extend your paddling weekend. This special release day has been obtained to host the World Rafting Championships to be held on the Upper Gauley around noon on September 25. Boaters are welcome to paddle the river, but will be asked to stay out of the way of racers. Canyon Doors Whitewater Rodeo will also be

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Judge Orders Water for Golden’s Whitewater Park in CO

The Rocky Mountain News reported on June 21, 2001 that Judge Jonathon Hays has granted increased water rights for recreation purposes to the Clear Creek kayaking park in Golden, CO. The complete article is available at www.rockymountainnews.com. The judge ruled for the city over protests from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, which had sued Golden to protect the water for more traditional uses (farming, industry, domestic, etc.) and claimed that Clear Creek doesn’t have sufficient water to support Golden’s whitewater

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Events Director application deadline June 20th

JOB DESCRIPTION AMERICAN WHITEWATER EVENTS MANAGER May 5, 2001 OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY: The American Whitewater Events Director is responsible for planning and implementing a program of events that are consistent with the organization’s Mission. These events – offer grassroots education and appreciation for local and national resources;– celebrate (i.e., promotes) the accomplishment and seeds the vision of the technical American Whitewater programs – Conservation, Access, and Safety – endorse advanced skills through competition; and– provide a valued option for organizational funding

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Ocoee Update

American Whitewater made the first, very successful effort to build a coalitionof a wide array of stakeholders by hosting the Ocoee Symposium at the OlympicWhitewater Center on Friday, May 18th, during the U.S.A. Canoe and Kayak teamtrials, and immediately prior to the Ocoee Rodeo, ensuring a great deal of mediaattention. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) recently announced that it was increasingthe fees that outfitters pay for whitewater releases and terminating the”free” water for events on the Upper Ocoee River. This

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Match Your Paddling Habit With Your Power Consumption

Many of you are likely aware of the voluntary blackout June 21st to protestenergy policies proposed by the Bush administration. The Bush administration?sproposed energy plan increases our dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels,increased hydropower development and a weakening of environmental lawsprotecting our rivers. The energy proposal lacks a long-term sustainable energyplan and illogically dismisses conservation and efficiency as meaningfulmeasures to alleviate the energy crunch in the western states. As paddlersdependent on healthy river systems, we should participate in this protest.Please read

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RHINELANDER CHANNEL (PELICAN RAPIDS) WHITEWATER RELEASE

Whitewater releases are scheduled for the Rhinelander River in Wisconsin. Thesereleases are a component of the settlement for the relicensing of Rhinelanderhydropower project. DATE: June 26, 2001 TIME: 9:00 am to 5:00 pmFLOW: Run of River Flow Note: This release is taking place during the annual Mill shut down. Flowswill be equal to the total Wisconsin River cfs at Rhinelander. FLOW INFORMATION:USGS Gauge – Wisconsin River at the Rainbow Flowage, 40 miles up stream ofRhinelander. <http://wi.water.usgs.gov/rt-cgi/gen_stn_pg?station=05391000>WVIC Automated Water Line –

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River Film Rendezvous

The Sierra Nevada Outdoor Center, Friends of the River (FOR) and AmericanWhitewater (AW) are pleased to announce the Third Annual Riverfilm Festivalscheduled for Saturday, July 14,2001. This year¹s festival will feature, in person, river filmmakers JohnArmstrong, Kristi Atwell, Gordon Brown, and Allison Chase. Armstrong will be screening "Paucartambo–The Rest of the River" featuringan all-star cast of boaters from the Coloma area. Atwell’s new film"Quartzite’s Fall" has appearances from FOR Founder Mark Dubois. Brown andChase will be screening "Rivers of the

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New York Paddlers Alert–Hoosic River Flows

American Whitewater needs information from any of you that have paddled theHoosic River below Schagticoke. This section is in Eastern NY state just eastof Troy. Your responses to questions below are critical for securing futurewhitewater releases in the hydropower relicense proceeding. We have noinformation on the difficulty, quality and preferred boating flows for theHoosic. American Whitewater has been invited into the final stages of settlementtalks with Erie, the FERC and other stakeholders. Your responses to thequestions below are needed by

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Colorado Right to Float Rally, June 15th

Colorado Boaters, The Colorado River Outfitter’s Association, Gunnison Basin Outfitters and private boaters are organizing a rally on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison the morning of June 15th, 2001. A court case filed on June 1st seeks an injunction to close this section of river and, through precedent, every river in the state.The purpose of the rally is to demonstrate our right to float the rivers of Colorado. We are making a plea to anyone who cares about river

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Maryland Boating Regulations

Maryland revised their state boating laws in early 2001. American Whitewater commented on the proposed changes to these rules in early 2000 and all of our comments were incorporated in the new regulations! This is particularly satisfying to all of our volunteers and regional coordinators who have worked with the state over the past several years to increase river safety and communications between boaters, river managers, and rescue personnel. The new regulations have dropped the requirement for boaters to register

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Health Warning on Rock Creek (DC)

In May 2001, District Health Commissioner, Dr. Ivan Walks, issued the warning, “We are not recommending that people use Rock Creek and enter Rock Creek because of standing high bacteria levels…” Dr. Walks added that the bacteria levels in Rock Creek are too high for human contact, and have been for the last year.

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Circling in on Fee Demo

Contents of a twelve-minute presentation by Access Director Jason Robertson for a Fee Demo round table sponsored by the Outdoor Recreation Coalition of America (ORCA) on May 16th at the Wyndam Hotel in Washington, DC. Representatives from the Forest Service and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) also spoke.Donald Lacoste, my high school English teacher, argued that life was circular and that we were destined to return to the points, places, events, and ideas that once structured our lives. I’ve

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Ocoee Symposium Gains Tennessee Congressman’s Support

To: Risa Calloway Executive Director American Whitewater 1430 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD 20910 May 11,2001 Dear Risa: My congratulations to American Whitewater on the 13th occasion of the Ocoee Rodeo, one of the nation’s largest gatherings of private boaters.This year, the Rodeo is being held in conjunction with the US Canoe and Kayak Team trials that are taking place at the Forest Service’s splendid Olympic Whitewater course on the Ocoee River. I regret not being able to attend today’s

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New Website Functions Added!

Scott Collins, AW’s web developer along with Ryan Groth, American Whitewater volunteers and the AW staff boaters and americanwhitewater.org visitors have been busy working on these great new river tools: Affiliates Area http://www.american whitewater.org/affiliates/ This new section of AW’s comprehensive online whitewater resource has been constructed to allow Affiliate web masters and/or their volunteer representatives the ability to create, change, maintain and integrate their organization’s contact, event and other related information on the AmericanWhitewater.org website. Read more about it here

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Nailgunner to Captain…

Next time you’re in Friendsvillle, be sure to thank John Mason and the other good folks at Mountain Surf for providing take-out access on the Upper Yough. Also be sure to thank American Whitewater’s volunteers who stepped up to design and build our new changing rooms on the Upper Yough! Kudos go to Mike Bailey,Troy Dike, Nick Lipkowski, Pat Norton, Charlie Walbridge, Bob Gedekoh, Kitty and Barry Tuscano. Great work guys! Nailgunner to Captain Next time you take out at

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Image for Sky River Access Fund Established!

Sky River Access Fund Established!

In May 2001, American Whitewater and the Washington Kayak Club established the Skykomish River Access Fund with $5875 from the 2001 Sky Fest. Private donations have raised the holdings of the fund to about $6625. This fund recognizes the fact that legal river access opportunities along the whitewater sections of the Skykomish River in Washington State are limited and diminishing. There are few public right-of-ways or easements, and there is little publicly owned land allowing legal access to this popular

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Ocoee Symposium Focus on Economics of Flow

  “The TVA plan to ‘pull the plug’ on water for events and increase river fees paid by outfitters may jeopardize the continued growth of river-based tourism in this area. They may kill the goose that laid the golden egg.”John Gangemi, American Whitewater Conservation Director OCOEE RIVER SYMPOSIUM Discussion: Economic Benefits of River Recreation FRIDAY MAY 18, 2001 OCOEE WHITEWATER CENTER 1pm to 5 pm (Silver Spring, MD) – American Whitewater has announced it will host The 2001 Ocoee River

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Events Director Search Announced

JOB DESCRIPTION AMERICAN WHITEWATER EVENTS DIRECTOR May 9, 2001 OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY: The American Whitewater Events Director is responsible for planning and implementing a program of events that are consistent with the organization’s Mission. These events: – offer grassroots education and appreciation for local and national resources;– celebrate (i.e., promotes) the accomplishment and seed the vision of the technical American Whitewater programs – Conservation, Access, and Safety – endorse advanced skills through competition; and– provide a valued option for organizational funding

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Looking for an Awesome Events Director

JOB DESCRIPTION AMERICAN WHITEWATER EVENTS DIRECTOR May 9, 2001 OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY: The American Whitewater Events Director is responsible for planning and implementing a program of events that are consistent with the organization’s Mission. These events: – offer grassroots education and appreciation for local and national resources;– celebrate (i.e., promotes) the accomplishment and seed the vision of the technical American Whitewater programs – Conservation, Access, and Safety – endorse advanced skills through competition; and– provide a valued option for organizational funding

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Rafting Season on Dolores Unlikely in 2001

The Grand Canyon Private Boaters Association (GCPBA) has passed along a report from the Cortez Journal that “The chances of a rafting season this spring on the lower Dolores River look bleak, as officials report McPhee Reservoir is not likely to fill this year.”The low volume in the McPhee Reservoir are blamed on a combination of drought, irrigation requirements, high winds and low snowpack moisture.The report states that “As of May 1, the runoff forecast is at 83 percent of

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Image for River Right and American Whitewater Acquire Cartecay Access

River Right and American Whitewater Acquire Cartecay Access

Bob and Lisa, the owners of River Right Outfitters have come through with another super win for the paddling community. They have secured, with American Whitewater’s help, a new put-in on Georgia’s Class II-III Cartecay River and are even providing bathrooms, a riverside campground, and FREE RIVER ACCESS!American Whitewater’s Access Director, Jason Robertson, credited River Right with doing all the hard work on this project and said “The folks at River Right saw that there was a problem with access

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What Does the Future Hold for Savage River Releases?

On April 4th, 2001 American Whitewater wrote the Upper Potomac River Commission requesting a meeting to discuss the future of whitewater releases on the Savage River. A copy of this letter is attached. As of May 2nd, the UPRC has failed to respond to this or earlier requests, and has not returned our phone calls. Mr. Jim Taylor Upper Potomac River Commission (UPRC) 528 Maryland Avenue Westernport, MD 21562 April 4, 2001   Re: Whitewater Releases on Maryland’s Savage River

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Need Boaters for Flow Study, N. Fork Kern

PARTICIPATE IN A WHITEWATER BOATING STUDY ON THE NORTH FORK KERN RIVERAmerican Whitewater is participating in a Whitewater Boating Study on the Kern River from Fairview Dam to the town of Kernville. You can participate too simply by registering at one of the drop boxes. This is a self-guided flow study. We are taking advantage of spring run-off to evaluate a range of flows for whitewater recreation. Your input will help provide valuable data on minimum and optimum flows for

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Image for Congress Moves to Protect Oregon's Rivers

Breaks Interstate Park & Russell Fork Alert!

The Breaks Interstate Park and the Russell Fork River are beingthreatened by proposed gas well drilling within the Potter Flat’ssection of the park. Join locals, environmentalists, paddlers and othereco-adventurers on Saturday May 12 for a peaceful demonstration inElkhorn City. Oh yes, and bring your boat…For further information visithttp://www.elkhorncity.org/russellfork/gaswells.htmor contact Steve Ruth <sjruth@elkhorncity.org>

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