Articles - American Whitewater

Nolichucky Litigation Ends, River Spared Worst Harm

May 8, 2026

In March of 2026, at our request, a court dismissed a case brought by American Whitewater and American Rivers that sought to protect the Nolichucky River from riverbed rock mining. The suit was filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) against the US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the US Army Corps of Engineers over their acquiescence to a railroad company’s active quarrying of rock from the riverbed to use in the reconstruction of its adjacent

Building Organizational Resilience Through In-Person River Time

May 7, 2026

In the last week of April, American Whitewater’s board and staff gathered on the Rio Chama in New Mexico for our annual team retreat. The Chama is one of the most stunning and remote river corridors in the Southwest and it was a great setting for our work together. Our strategy is explicit that between flights to DC and hundreds of zoom calls a year, time on the water, in community, is how we stay grounded in our mission and

South Fork Silver Creek below Ice House (CA) – Release Update

April 15, 2026

Each year, American Whitewater’s advocacy helps create a mix of scheduled and opportunistic whitewater opportunities on South Fork Silver Creek below Ice House Reservoir—one of California’s most unique, dam-controlled Class IV runs. For boaters willing to track conditions and stay flexible, the combination of planned releases and snowmelt-driven pulse flows can significantly expand the boating season on this reach. The Upper American River Project (UARP), owned by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, schedules and operates this flow regime. Ice House

Black Canyon of the Bear to Flow All Summer (ID)

April 14, 2026

The Black Canyon of the Bear River is going to flow all summer and likely next summer as well. PacifiCorp has advised American Whitewater and other stakeholders that they are beginning a multi-year project to replace the infrastructure that diverts the water from Black Canyon of the Bear to the generation turbines. The Grace hydro diversion dam (near Grace, ID) will be taken out of service in the next couple weeks, and all flows will remain in the canyon river

Tell Congress to Protect Clean Water—Invest in Permitting Capacity, Not Rollbacks

April 14, 2026

If you’ve ever flipped in a rapid, taken a swim, or boated after a solid rain, you already know this: clean water matters. We’re making it easy to take action right now. Tell your reps in Congress what you already know: clean water matters. Whitewater boaters are immersed in rivers when flows rise—exactly when pollutants are most likely to enter waterways and be flushed downstream. At the same time, dams divert water, often lowering natural flows, degrading water quality, and

American Whitewater Weighs in on Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon Dam

April 13, 2026

In March, American Whitewater submitted technical comments on the future of Glen Canyon and Hoover Dams and the associated impacts to water management across the Colorado River Basin. The federal government, through the Bureau of Reclamation, is charged with determining how the Colorado River’s largest dams will operate after current operating guidelines expire this year. These decisions will have direct impacts on the Grand Canyon and numerous upstream reaches of the Colorado River Basin, including canyons with world-class recreation opportunities.

Defending Oregon’s Rivers and Advancing New Protections on the Klamath

April 13, 2026

In response to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) beginning a sweeping revision of its management plans in western Oregon, American Whitewater is urging the agency to evaluate newly free-flowing segments of the Klamath River for Wild and Scenic eligibility, to designate the Upper Klamath River Canyon as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and to balance their timber production ambitions with protection of our intact ecological resources and recreation experiences. The Resource Management Plans (RMPs) under revision apply across

Help Secure Safe and Lawful River Passage in Colorado

April 13, 2026

The Colorado legislative session is set to end on May 13th, giving us just about a month to pass legislation that would secure safe and lawful river passage. We are still working hard to make this happen, and right now is the time to support this work by sharing your voice with your representatives. Donations are another critical way to support our advocacy, and our partner, Colorado Whitewater, has extended the timeline for meeting our goal of $10,000 in matching

American Whitewater Advocates for Wild, Healthy Rivers in DC

April 13, 2026

In late March, American Whitewater staff traveled to our nation’s capital to advocate for place-based river protection legislation and smart management of our public lands and rivers. As part of Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week, American Whitewater and our partners had nearly 70 meetings with congressional offices, in addition to meetings with the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. To make the most of our trip, our staff had additional

Spring Journal Available in New Reader, Submit Your River Stories

April 1, 2026

The only thing boaters like almost as much as boating is talking about it. And the American Whitewater Journal is the perfect place to tell your river stories! You can contribute your stories, imagery, art, poetry, recipes, questions, safety issues, and more. Use our online submission form or email editor@americanwhitewater.org with ideas for a contribution. You can also email any question you want to ask us and we’ll print an answer to the best of our ability in our Ask

Put Your Refund Where the River Is

April 1, 2026

It’s spring! Which means boating is ramping up in many parts of the country … and also, it’s tax season. For some people, this may mean you might suddenly have a few hundred dollars you weren’t counting on. There are always ways to spend your refund … new gear or gas money for spring paddling trips. But give American Whitewater the price of one of those gas tanks, and your refund ends up doing something you’ll still care about in

American Whitewater Brings Boaters’ Voices To Senate Hearing

April 1, 2026

American Whitewater recently submitted testimony in the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee to ensure that the perspective of the whitewater community is represented in decisions that shape river flows, dam operations, and long-term river health. The subcommittee, led by Chairman Senator John Hoeven (ND) and Ranking Member Senator Ron Wyden (OR), recently held a hearing on several water and hydropower bills that could affect rivers across the country. Following the hearing, American Whitewater traveled to Washington,

New Membership and Donation Forms are Live

March 31, 2026

We’ve recently upgraded our membership and donation forms at American Whitewater to better serve the needs of our community. Online giving is a rapidly evolving landscape, but we strive to evolve with it and make it easy and convenient for our members to renew and pass along funds to support their favorite rivers. A few highlights: You’ll notice more ways to pass along support–we now offer standard credit card transactions, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay (if on an iPhone)

Image for A Rogue River Adventure with American Whitewater

Spots Open! Join a Rogue River Adventure with American Whitewater

March 31, 2026

In June 2026, American Whitewater members are invited to join American Whitewater staff and board members for an exclusive trip on Oregon’s renowned Rogue River—one of the nation’s first designated Wild and Scenic Rivers. This trip blends outstanding whitewater, beautiful canyon scenery, and time to connect with American Whitewater’s mission and work. Unfortunately, a group that was joining us had to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, so there are now a few open spots on what was a fully sold-out

Map of River Guide for Content Curator position notice.

American Whitewater is Hiring River Content Curators

March 25, 2026

American Whitewater seeks multiple independent contractors to support a federally funded project to update and enhance our online National Whitewater Inventory content. Contractors will review and improve online river guide pages to provide the boating public with timely, clear, and accurate safety and trip-planning information.

Image for 2020 Scheduled Whitewater Releases for Ice House & Slab Creek (CA)

Slab Creek 2026 Recreation Releases Cancelled (CA)

March 24, 2026

The 2026 Slab Creek recreation season was set to kick off with six scheduled releases between late March and April under a Below Normal water year—flows that typically anchor California’s early-season boating calendar. These releases will not occur this year. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has confirmed that all 2026 Slab Creek recreation releases are cancelled due to an operating license condition developed to protect the foothill yellow-legged frog (FYLF), with rapidly warming river temperatures triggering that requirement. Within

West Slab Creek Reservoir Put-in for SF American Slab Creek Reach

Slab Creek (CA) 2026 Put-in & Take-out Information

March 23, 2026

Ahead of this season’s Slab Creek recreation releases, American Whitewater has been working with SMUD and the Eldorado National Forest to improve parking, staging, and overall efficiency at the West Slab Creek Reservoir put-in. These updates are designed to reduce congestion, improve safety, and make the launch process smoother for everyone. These changes come directly out of on-site coordination and are intended to help boaters move through the put-in more efficiently during high-use release days. As always, conditions on the

Additional Releases Proposed on New River Dries (WV)

March 10, 2026

Big changes are likely on the way for the New River Dries–including 32 releases annually! Thanks to a proposed overhaul of the Hawksnest Hydropower Project, American Whitewater, outfitters, the state of West Virginia, and others have negotiated proposed additional releases for this awesome section of river. Last week, the project owner filed an application with federal regulators that, if approved, would allow them to begin their construction project and lock in decades of flow improvements. Boaters will be excited to

Penstock Fails at New Colgate Powerhouse on North Yuba River (CA)

March 5, 2026

A major penstock failure on the North Yuba River could take years to repair. Flows will be significantly different for several reaches of the Yuba, and additional boating opportunities might arise. On February 13, 2026, the 14 ft diameter penstock for the Yuba Water Agency’s New Colgate Powerhouse ruptured. The rupture released nearly 400 acre-feet of water and caused significant damage to the hill slope, riparian area, the Yuba River, and Yuba Water infrastructure. A debris flow transported sediment, oil,

Public Safety and the San Joaquin River Gorge (CA)

March 5, 2026

The San Joaquin River below Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s (PG&E) Kerckhoff Hydroelectric Project is more than a power generation reach—it’s a heavily visited public recreation corridor where the speed at which the river rises and falls can mean the difference between safe use and sudden danger. Flowing through the Bureau of Land Management’s San Joaquin River Gorge Special Recreation Management Area, this stretch winds through granite walls and Class III–V whitewater, just an hour outside Fresno. Federal land managers

Flathead Draft River Management Plan Open for Comment (MT)

March 4, 2026

The Flathead National Forest has released their Draft Comprehensive River Management Plan for the Wild and Scenic forks of the Flathead River, and is now seeking public comment. Little has changed with their plan since the “proposed action” they released for public comment over a year ago. Boaters are encouraged to submit a public comment by the March 13th deadline. Located in northwest Montana, the forks of the Flathead River offer boaters the chance to fly, hike, ride a horse,

Upper American River Project (CA) 2026 Whitewater Releases

March 4, 2026

Image: Slab Creek Run release flows. Photo by Darin McQuoid. Slab Creek & South Fork Silver Creek Each year, American Whitewater plays an active role in implementing the recreation provisions of the Upper American River Project, the hydropower project owned and operated by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). American Whitewater participates in annual implementation meetings, reviews hydrologic forecasts, tracks snowpack and precipitation trends, and works directly with SMUD to align release dates and target flows with both operating license

Group portaging a raft around Dryden Dam on the Wenatchee River using a portage cart.

Help Shape the Future of Dryden Dam River Access on the Wenatchee River (WA)

March 3, 2026

The Dryden Dam water access site is one of the most heavily used and important public river access points on the Wenatchee River. For many people, it’s the starting point for a day on the water. For others, it’s a key portage location, a fishing access area, or simply a place to get to the river and enjoy the Wenatchee Valley’s remarkable natural setting. The site has a long history of public use. Prior to being acquired by the Washington

Image of a simple river access area left as part of a bridge project

Support Today Could Help Pass WV Bridge Access Bill

March 2, 2026

SB 708 is West Virginia legislation that would encourage the integration of river access features into bridge projects.

Kayaker paddling high water river Klamath River

Sudden Flow Increase Expected on Klamath River (Feb. 20, 2026)

February 18, 2026

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) will conduct a sediment flushing release from Keno Dam near Klamath Falls, Oregon beginning February 20 around 6 to 8 AM. Flows are expected to increase rapidly by 4,000 cfs, followed by a gradual ramp-down to approximately 700 cfs by early March. While this release will create high-water boating opportunities on the Klamath River below Keno Dam as flows ramp down, boaters and other river users should be aware of potentially dangerous, sudden increases