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Image for The Nolichucky Needs You Again (NC/TN)

The Nolichucky Needs You Again (NC/TN)

The Nolichucky Gorge needs you again! Even if you have written to your elected officials in the past about the Noli, it is time to do so again.    The area has several new Senators and Representatives that have never heard from the public about designating the Nolichucky as a Wild and Scenic River. They need to hear from you to learn about the river and your feelings on designation.    At the same time, the new Congress is setting

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Image for Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week – A Virtual Success

Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week – A Virtual Success

American Whitewater and a wide ranging group of partners and stakeholders met recently with members of Congress and their staffs to educate, gain the support of, and strategize with policy makers about Wild and Scenic Rivers legislation. This week long advocacy campaign is a product of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition, a partnership between like-minded organizations American Whitewater helped found in 2019, with the goal of promoting and supporting the importance of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, new

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Image for North Fork Skykomish Road Repairs to Start (WA)

North Fork Skykomish Road Repairs to Start (WA)

After years of engineering and environmental analysis, and some legal challenges at the end, reconstruction of the Index-Galena road is about to get underway this spring. This road provides the primary access to the North Fork Skykomish, which was one of the most popular class IV runs in the Skykomish River drainage prior to major flooding in 2006.   The floods that year washed out major sections of the road and caused landslides resulting in severe damage at 11 sites

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Image for 2021 Scheduled Recreational Flows for Pit River and North Fork Feather (CA)

2021 Scheduled Recreational Flows for Pit River and North Fork Feather (CA)

After Pacfic Gas & Electric (PG&E) skunked over 80 boaters showing up on for the Pit 1 Fall River Mills release last October, American Whitewater called for a meeting to clarify the utilities hydropower license obligations to inform the public regarding whitewater boating flow schedules and other river flow information. We are happy to report that these protocols have been reaffirmed and we have confirmed 2021 flows for the Pit River as follows:   Pit 1 October 2, 3, 16

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Image for New AW Membership Incentive gifts for 2021!

New AW Membership Incentive gifts for 2021!

We’re stoked to announce that we have brand new Platinum Paddler hoodies available as a membership incentive gift—we’re introducing our first ever sun hoodie! You’ll definitely want to add this piece of technical gear to your boating and lifestyle arsenal. We’ve partnered with NRS to offer the H2Core™ Silkweight Hoodie with both men’s and women’s-specific sizing available. There’s an AW logo on the front of the hoodie as well as the sleeve, and they come in a fjord blue color—you’ll

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Image for Spring Tallulah Releases Cancelled, More Releases Sought (GA)

Spring Tallulah Releases Cancelled, More Releases Sought (GA)

Tallulah Gorge State Park has cancelled whitewater paddling opportunities this spring on the Tallulah River due to Covid-19 concerns. Releases are typically provided the first two weekends in April, and the first three weekends in November to allow paddling in the otherwise largely dewatered gorge, based on a settlement agreement and federal license for the upstream dam. The Park shared that a higher-level Covid-related decision closing all activities at the bottom of the Gorge remains in effect, closing the area

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Image for Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act Passes House

Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act Passes House

As the first action on public lands legislation this Congress, the House just passed on a 227-200 vote (see how your Representatative voted) an impressive package of river conservation bills, many of which include priorities for the whitewater paddling community. The bills that formed this package, known as Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act (H.R. 803), include 1079 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers, over 1.5 million acres of new Wilderness, and more than 1 million acres of sensitive

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Image for 2021 Southeast Advanced Release Schedule Set!

2021 Southeast Advanced Release Schedule Set!

American Whitewater and our affiliate clubs have spent the past 25 years working to restore flows to incredible Southeastern rivers impacted by dams. A lot of our work has focused on Class II and III rivers like the lower Nantahala, Tuckasegee, Hiwassee, and Catawba, but we also secured releases in some classic steeper reaches previously dewatered by hydroelectric diversions. Each year we meet with power companies and agencies to schedule future releases, review ongoing ecology studies, and discuss any issues

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Image for Over 1,000 Miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers is Back in Congress

Over 1,000 Miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers is Back in Congress

Late last year you may remember our push to pass over a thousand miles of Wild and Scenic designations and millions of acres of protections for some of the most storied whitewater landscapes in the West, including the Grand Canyon (AZ), the Dolores (CO), the Olympic Peninsula (WA), and several whitewater rich watersheds in California (Trinity Alps, Central Coast, San Gabriels) under the banner of the Protecting America’s Wilderness Act (PAWA) by attaching it to the end of year must-pass

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Image for Stream Access Threatened  By House Joint Resolution 5 and 8 in New Mexico

Stream Access Threatened By House Joint Resolution 5 and 8 in New Mexico

Thirty New Mexico State Representatives have introduced two resolutions asking voters to amend Section II of the state’s Constitution (“New Mexico’s Bill of Rights”). Both resolutions ask voters to approve elevating hunting and fishing into constitutional rights.  Its title “Protecting the Right to Hunt, Fish and Harvest Wildlife” would be more accurately described as “Protecting Property Rights over your Right to Hunt, Fish, or Float.”  These ballot initiatives are designed to preempt stream access rights litigation currently being considered by

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Image for Tell New Larimer County Commissioners how Important a Healthy Poudre River Is

Tell New Larimer County Commissioners how Important a Healthy Poudre River Is

In August, we asked our members to take action to help protect flows in the Cache La Poudre (CO). The County Commission was analyzing the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) for its adherence to the Larimer County Land Use code under an application for a 1041 permit. Despite the 203 letters from our supporters and the majority of all comments raising concerns about the project, the Commission voted 2-1 to approve the permit.   Since then, the November election results

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Image for New Virginia River Access Fee Program Delayed Until 2022

New Virginia River Access Fee Program Delayed Until 2022

The media is reporting that the new fee program affecting river access areas owned and managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources river access areas has been delayed one year, from starting in July of 2021, to instead starting in July of 2022. The delay is to allow for additional input and reconsideration of how the program should be implemented, apparently specifically to reduce impacts on outfitters. A committee will review the new law and make recommendations on possible improvements. American

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Image for American Whitewater Members Topple Two California Dam Proposals

American Whitewater Members Topple Two California Dam Proposals

American Whitewater and members of the paddling community were called upon to stop two detrimental dam proposals, Centennial Dam and Alder Reservoir. These project proposals were included in a project list for an update to the Cosumnes, American, Bear and Yuba Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (CABY Plan). The CABY Plan outlines water management objectives for over 300 miles of California whitewater and comments were requested before a vote to accept the 2021 plan update.   Given that the principles

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Image for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante Monuments on the Path to Restoration

Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante Monuments on the Path to Restoration

As a part of the day one executive order on “Protecting Public Health and Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis”, the new administration directed the Secretary of the Interior – along with the Attorney General, Secretaries of Agriculture and Commerce, the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, and Tribal Governments – to review the boundary changes made by the previous administration of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. A report will be provided to the

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Image for Restoring Public Input and Strong Environmental Reviews to Federal Projects

Restoring Public Input and Strong Environmental Reviews to Federal Projects

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is the essential law outlining environmental review for public lands and rivers projects. Recent changes to rules governing implementation of the law significantly undermined the Act’s efficacy. The previous administration released new Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) rules which shortened the time frame for completing environmental studies, limited the types of projects subject to review, and no longer required federal agencies to account for a project’s cumulative effects on the environment, such as climate

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Image for Overnight Camping Permits Once Again Available for Paddlers on Redwood Creek

Overnight Camping Permits Once Again Available for Paddlers on Redwood Creek

Redwood Creek flows through the heart of Redwood National Park, offering whitewater boaters the rare opportunity to paddle through groves of the tallest trees on earth. It’s a 25-mile run (or longer) and, for many, the real joy of paddling this reach is making it an overnight trip and camping out on one of the many gravel bars along this very large creek.   Without intending to shut paddlers out of this opportunity, Redwood National Park had stopped issuing camping

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Image for Access Restored to Multiple NW California Whitewater Rivers

Access Restored to Multiple NW California Whitewater Rivers

By all counts, 2020 was an epic wildfire season, particularly on the West Coast. Throughout Oregon and California, National Forests and other public lands were closed as fires burned through river canyons and communities. In the time since the fires have been contained, most public lands have reopened fully or reduced closed areas significantly, although large closures are still in place in many areas that burned at high intensity.   But, until last week, three rivers in Northern California that

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Image for Help Protect Colorado’s Western Slope Rivers this Valentine’s Day

Help Protect Colorado’s Western Slope Rivers this Valentine’s Day

American Whitewater is asking the paddling community to step up this Valentine’s Day to help protect rivers like the Taylor, Oh-Be-Joyful, and San Miguel rivers in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) in Colorado. This Valentine’s Day and for the whole month of February we are collecting LOVE LETTERS from you to your favorite river in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre National Forests. We want to hear directly from you about why you love these rivers and why

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Image for Prop DD Funds Beginning To Emerge

Prop DD Funds Beginning To Emerge

In 2019 American Whitewater endorsed Proposition DD, a statewide ballot initiative in Colorado that asked voters to legalize online sports gambling and direct the revenue to fund the Colorado Water Plan. This ballot initiative saw broad buy-in from a wide variety of water users and ultimately passed with a 3 point margin at the ballot box.  Scheduled to launch in May of 2020, the early adoption rate of sports gambling hit a snag with the COVID-19 pandemic closing nearly every

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Image for Representative Simpson Proposes a Bold New Vision for the Snake River (WA/OR/ID)

Representative Simpson Proposes a Bold New Vision for the Snake River (WA/OR/ID)

Anyone who has boated the Middle Fork Salmon at the end of the season has seen the handful of markers indicating Chinook salmon redds (or nests), the fragile remaining legacy of one of the great biological wonders of the world. Despite hundreds of miles of clean, cold water in the Salmon River basin, and extreme measures that include very specific guidelines for floaters and limitations on permits (see Chinook salmon in the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Forest Service

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Image for Grand Canyon 2022 Main Lottery Update (AZ)

Grand Canyon 2022 Main Lottery Update (AZ)

In December, we shared an update on how the Grand Canyon has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To recap, the Grand Canyon closed on March 24, 2019 and all permitted river trips were canceled through June 14, 2019. Up to 1600 self-guided trip participants had their trips canceled by the NPS and were given the option to reschedule for the same launch date in 2022. Additionally, a number of trips scheduled for the summer and fall of 2020 opted

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Image for Railway in Arkansas and Eagle River Corridors to Receive More Scrutiny (CO)

Railway in Arkansas and Eagle River Corridors to Receive More Scrutiny (CO)

Last week, we urged you to send your comments to the federal Surface Transportation Board asking them to deny Colorado, Midland & Pacific Railway’s (CMPR) request to be exempted from important regulatory proceedings regarding their proposed lease and operation of the Tennessee Pass rail line. The rail line traverses the Arkansas and Eagle Rivers in Colorado and has been inactive for almost 25 years. Today, rather than approving their exemption, the Surface Transporation Board (STB) has postponed a decision on

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Image for Salt River Season Suspended (AZ)

Salt River Season Suspended (AZ)

The Salt River lottery for the 2021 river season has been suspended due to COVID-19 mitigation measures put in place by the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The Salt River Canyon Wilderness permit application did not open this season and you will find an alert message on the application page announcing the lottery suspension. The White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT) manages the Salt River jointly with the Tonto National Forest and WMAT owns the put-in for the Wilderness run and 29-miles

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Image for National Forest Protects 360 Miles of Streams in Montana

National Forest Protects 360 Miles of Streams in Montana

In a big win for rivers, the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest released their new Forest Plan this month. The Forest includes the classic Multi-day section of the Smith River, the headwaters of the Blackfoot River, and the rugged and beautiful Rocky Mountain Front region of Montana. The new Forest Plan offers interim protection for 360 miles of incredible rivers by finding them eligible for Wild and Scenic designation – triple the river miles protected under the old plan. A full

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Image for COVID-19 Impacts on the Grand Canyon (AZ)

COVID-19 Impacts on the Grand Canyon (AZ)

Last winter, like every other year, boaters who were lucky enough to pull permits for the 2020 Grand Canyon river season were planning and gearing up for their spring trips. Trip leaders and their groups were preparing all of the gear, travel plans, menus, rental equipment, and itineraries that make a trip down the Grand Canyon possible. However, this year was different. COVID-19 cases were rising at an alarming rate in late winter and when the river was closed to

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