Articles - American Whitewater

New Wild and Scenic River Legislation for Montana!

August 13, 2025

On August 1st, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke introduced the Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement and Tourism Act, legislation that would designate nearly 100 miles of the Madison and Gallatin Rivers and select tributaries as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Congressman Zinke worked closely with local stakeholders, including county commissioners, conservation groups, including American Whitewater, local outfitters, private landowners, and Northwestern Energy, to draft the legislation. The designations include approximately 42 miles of the Madison River beginning

Legacy Giving is Easy with Our Free Make-A-Will Program

August 12, 2025

Legacy giving through the Enduring Rivers Circle is more than philanthropy—it’s gratitude in action. Leave a lasting legacy to the special places that made a difference in your life. The Enduring Rivers Circle honors people who include American Whitewater in their estate plans—ensuring river stewardship continues for generations to come. Why It Matters Since 1954, American Whitewater has worked to conserve and restore free-flowing rivers and ensure safe recreation for paddlers across the U.S. The Enduring Rivers Circle was established

Submit Your Best to the 2026 American Whitewater Calendar!

August 12, 2025

Show off your best images to the entire community by submitting photos for inclusion in the 2025 American Whitewater calendar 📷💥📸 If your image is selected for the calendar, you’ll receive a free copy of the finished product! If your photo doesn’t make it into the calendar, we’ll hang on to it and consider it for inclusion in one of our other popular publications, like the annual impact report, our Journal, or other print and online uses intended to highlight

All Klamath River Accesses Now Open Along Undammed Reaches (OR/CA)

August 1, 2025

As of August 1, 2025, all five river access facilities that American Whitewater helped champion during the Klamath dam removal process are officially open! With four dams removed, five new access sites completed, and all existing access points open, the 45 miles of newly restored river between Keno and the former Iron Gate Dam offer exciting new opportunities for boating—and are now more accessible than ever. But before heading to the river, it’s important to know the specific use guidelines

American Whitewater Helps Defend State’s Rights Under Clean Water Act, Again

July 17, 2025

The D.C. Circuit issued its opinion in Nevada Irrigation District v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a court case deciding whether the irrigation district could stop providing instream flows below their hydropower projects in the Yuba and Bear watersheds in California. American Whitewater, along with California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Friends of the River, Sierra Club, and South Yuba River Citizen’s League intervened as parties. This case follows the recent case of Village of Morrisville v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission where we

Call for Nominations to the American Whitewater Board of Directors

July 17, 2025

American Whitewater is now accepting nominations for volunteer positions on our Board of Directors. Serving on the Board is a rewarding opportunity to help shape the future of river conservation, access, and safety while giving back to the boating community. About Board Service Our Board of Directors guides the strategic direction and governance of American Whitewater. Directors serve three-year terms beginning January 1 and are expected to: – Attend three board meetings per year (one in person, two virtual) –

Fires in Grand and Black Canyons (AZ, CO), Use Our Fire Map to Stay Up to Date

July 17, 2025

It’s mid-summer and for much of the country that means it’s prime boating and river season. For some areas, particularly the West, it’s also fire season. This means that in addition to checking flows and weather before heading to the river, it’s a good idea to also check for any wildfires, smoke issues, or closures that may impact your plans. We’ve built a map to help you with trip planning and safety. The American Whitewater Wildfire Information Map shows all

2025 Deerfield Festival on August, 2nd! Volunteer with us!

July 15, 2025

American Whitewater is kicking off our festival season in a few weeks with our annual Deerfield River Festival at Berkshire East in Charlemont, Massachusetts. We’ll gather on August 2nd to celebrate the Deerfield River together. This is a significant fundraiser for our work in the northeast and we can’t pull it off without our great volunteers! Please sign up for a volunteer shift (or two) and get a free event tshirt! For more than 25 years, American Whitewater has hosted the

Administration to Strip Protections From 58 Million Acres of Backcountry Forest

July 8, 2025

The Trump Administration has announced that they will rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which has protected popular backcountry recreation destinations spanning nearly 60 million acres of Forest Service lands across the country since 2001. The result of this action, if successful, would open remote landscapes valued for backcountry recreation to road building and logging. The announcement is anticipated to kick off a formal rule-making process that will include opportunities for the public to speak up for these important areas.

Wild & Scenic Tuolumne River (CA) Access and Advocacy Updates for 2025

June 12, 2025

American Whitewater has been working since 2023 to build a coalition of support, advocate with policy makers and land managing agencies, and keep repair of Lumsden and Ward’s Ferry roads moving forward. Funding sources for both road repairs have been identified and it is possible that they will both be repaired before next season. We’ve been routinely meeting with Congressional staff to highlight the recreation, public safety, and economic value of these roads. We’ve built a coalition of Tuolumne advocates

Community Proposes Post-Hurricane Plan for Rocky Broad River (NC)

June 12, 2025

Flooding caused by Hurricane Helene largely destroyed the town of Chimney Rock and the Rocky Broad River as we knew it. The river grew to fill the entire valley with a torrent, and the storm left behind a greatly widened river often lacking a clear channel and with massive carved out banks. Shortly after the storm, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) built a temporary road through the gorge that is often in the middle of the river channel.

May June American Whitewater Journal Hot Off the Press!

June 11, 2025

The newest edition of the American Whitewater Journal is now available online. American Whitewater member’s print editions should have already arrived (if not, they’ll be there soon!). We have a wonderful team of talented folks that work on publishing the Journal five times a year, but at its heart the American Whitewater Journal is a volunteer publication that relies on community members to submit their stories, photos, art and other contributions that make up its content. This is OUR Journal!

Help Us Understand Boating on the Lower Chiwawa River (WA)

June 11, 2025

Do you paddle the Lower Chiwawa River outside of Leavenworth, WA? Your input is needed. Chelan County has launched a survey to better understand how people use the Lower Chiwawa River for recreation–especially whitewater boating. The survey will help project planners and land managers determine whether and how the river is being used by kayakers, rafters, and other river users, and how future restoration and development efforts might support or impact access and navigation. If you’ve ever floated the Lower

2025 Gauley Fest Vendor Registration is Live!

June 10, 2025

We’re excited to kick start 2025 Gauley Fest planning! Started in 1983 to celebrate the derailment of a hydro-electric project that would have disrupted the flows on the Gauley River, Gauley Fest has grown to become the largest paddling festival in the world. The Gauley Fest vendor marketplace is second to none for reaching the whitewater boating and outdoor community in the US. The 2025 Festival will take place from September 18th through September 21st. We’ll be posting more details

Notice: Web Users May Need to Reset Passwords

May 21, 2025

Heads up that American Whitewater updated our website on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and website users will be logged out of the site by this update and may need to reset your password by clicking “forgot password” to log back into the site. Follow the steps for resetting your password and log back in. You will need to know the email address that you’ve been using to log into the site. We are working to resolve this issue this week.

American Whitewater Releases New River Guide App!

May 15, 2025

American Whitewater is excited to announce the release of our new mobile app, available for both ios and android devices! The new American Whitewater app shares crowdsourced information on over 6,000 whitewater runs, including easy driving directions, improved flow information, maps, descriptions, and photos. The new app is a volunteer-led project supported by American Whitewater staff and contractors. We hope you love it, and that it inspires you to explore our nation’s many awesome rivers and contribute to the app.

Congress Thinks You Don’t Care About Public Lands and Rivers

May 14, 2025

Last week, the US House Natural Resources Committee passed a budget-related bill that–if it becomes law–will sell off significant public lands and weaken our collective ability to have a say in public land management in unprecedented ways. This legislation will go through one more committee and merge with other bills to become one huge bill that can pass with a simple majority vote in the Senate through a process called reconciliation. Boaters are encouraged to speak up (and can do

California 2025 Recreational Releases Reminder & Updates

May 14, 2025

American Whitewater and California boaters are victims of our own success. As a result of over two decades of work from stewardship staff and dedicated community volunteers, negotiated recreational flows from hydropower projects abound in water years like 2025. It definitely can fill up your paddling calendar! Here are date reminders and updates for the California Wild & Scenic Mokelumne River, South Fork Silver Creek, North Fork Feather, and the Pit River. Mokelumne River The final May B120 Water Supply

Volunteers needed: Help keep Mokelumne Big Bar Launch open! (CA)

May 14, 2025

The Bureau of Land Management’s Big Bar Launch facility off of Highway 49 is the only legal boating takeout for the Electra Run on the California Wild & Scenic Mokelumne River. Due to circumstances beyond the BLM Mother Lode Field Office’s control, BLM recently announced the closure of Big Bar to vehicles through October 15 of this year (you can still walk in, but parking nearby is very limited). See the closure notice here. In order to reopen the facility for

Defending the Clean Water Act in the Northeast

May 13, 2025

With ongoing efforts to weaken federal environmental safeguards, American Whitewater and its partners from throughout the Northeast are defending the Clean Water Act in state legal challenges to hydropower dam permits. American Whitewater, represented by the Environmental Litigation Clinic at Pace University law school, filed an appeal of the DEC water quality certification of the West Canada Creek Hydroelectric Project. State certification that hydropower dams meet water quality standards is required before the dams are licensed by the Federal Energy

Senator Murray & Representative Randall Reintroduce Wild Olympics Bill (WA)

May 13, 2025

Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Representative Emily Randall (D-WA-06) reintroduced the Wild Olympics Wilderness & Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, legislation that would permanently protect more than 126,500 acres of Olympic National Forest as wilderness and 19 rivers and their major tributaries—a total of 464 river miles—as Wild and Scenic Rivers. Designed through extensive community input to conserve ancient forests and pristine rivers, protect clean water and salmon habitat, and enhance outdoor recreation, the legislation would set

San Joaquin Horseshoe Bend Recreational Flow Forecast for 2025 (CA)

May 9, 2025

American Whitewater is excited to announce the 2025 forecast for recreational flows on the San Joaquin Horseshoe Bend reach. Southern California Edison (SCE) is providing boatable flows for a spill year and these flows are forecasted to begin on Friday, 5/16/2025 and last through Sunday, 5/18/2025. These flows are provided under the Big Creek 4 Hydropower Project Long-Term Operating Rules (LTOR). These rules were informed by nearly a decade of post-license studies and consultation with stakeholders, including American Whitewater and

New Mexico’s Rivers get Another Chance in Congress!

April 25, 2025

On April 18th, bill champions Senator Heinrich and Representative Vasquez reintroduced the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act. The bill, reintroduced for the 4th time since 2020, is set to protect nearly 450 miles in the Gila and San Francisco watersheds in southwest New Mexico. The reintroduced bill in the 119th Congress is identical to the bill introduced in the last congress where it made significant progress through the capitol’s numerous hurdles. After being introduced

Lawmakers Pull Back Bad Bridge Access Legislation in NC

April 22, 2025

Earlier this year, North Carolina legislators introduced a bill that would have made using public bridges over rivers as put-ins and take-outs illegal. Thankfully, the language criminalizing river access was recently removed from the bill, SB 220, and is no longer a threat. We’d like to thank the many boaters that reached out to your state legislators on this issue, and the legislators that changed course. Boater outreach helped inform the legislature to step back from a bill that would

Accident Summary for July–December 2024: Available online now

April 15, 2025

The American Whitewater Accident Summary for July–December 2024 is now available online. Since our inception, American Whitewater been a vigorous promoter of river safety information, and accident reporting has become integral to this task. Charlie Walbridge has used reports submitted by our membership to compile regular summaries of fatalities and close calls for our Journal since 1986. American Whitewater has catalogued over 2400 incidents on whitewater rivers dating back to 1972, which you can find and analyze for yourself in