Articles

The Dolores Water Conservation District recently put out their updated spill prediction based on the Colorado River Basin Forecast Center’s May 1st inflow forecast. In addition to a positive forecast, low and middle elevation snowpack has raised McPhee water levels at approximately a foot per day. This lower elevation snow and May storm cycle have also helped in keeping fields wet and pushing back the start of irrigation season. One more benefit of the healthy low elevation snowpack was the

The May/June issue of the AW Journal is available in the “Library“. This issue includes an incredible historical account of John Wesley Powell’s travels along the Colorado River as well as:   A riveting recap of a lower water Selway trip (spoiler: it was still fun!!)  An introduction of our new Southern Rockies Stewardship Director, Hattie Johnson An international journey down the Usumacinta River along the Guatemala/Mexico border A touching travelogue highlighting a family’s road trip with their young kiddos Loads

A bill to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was introduced last month by Colorado Senator Cory Gardener and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin and cosponsored by Colorado Senator Michael Bennett. If passed the bill would provide $900M annually for projects protecting natural, cultural and historic resources. Existing funding from the LWCF recently enabled the transfer of two important river access points on the Upper Colorado River. The State Bridge and Two Bridges parcels were owned by

KEEN has been a longtime supporter of our river stewardship work and if you need a new pair of KEENs now is the time to get them – use the code AMERICANWHITEWATER in the KEEN online store to receive $10 off and KEEN will kick $10 our way to continue our stewardship work for rivers. It’s a win win and your feet will thank you!

The Spring Stewardship Update for 2019 is here! This spring American Whitewater is working to protect water quality in our nation’s rivers, designate new Wild and Scenic Rivers, restore flows to rivers affected by hydropower dams, promote outdoor recreation on our public lands, and protect access to our favorite whitewater rivers – we’re getting it done in 2019, but we can’t do it without your help. This stewardship work is possible only through your support, and your financial contribution plays a

Durango, CO – June is fast approaching and Animas River Days is not to be missed. On June 1, the Animas River in Durango, CO will be filled with kayakers, rafters, SUP boarders, and spectators celebrating healthy and safe rivers. Be sure to put this event on your calendar for fun and whitewater this summer!   Check out the Event Schedule and don’t forget to pre-register if you are planning on competing in any of the many events. Pre-registration ends on

The Bureau of Reclamation and the Dolores Water Conservation District (DWCD) hosted a 2019 Spill Meeting for the boating public on April 18th at the Dolores Community Center. American Whitewater was joined on the panel by Dolores River Boating Advocates, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Riparian specialists from Fort Lewis College, and the Colorado River Basin Forecast Center (CRBFC). The CRBFC presented on how they develop their forecasts and all the variables included. Then we heard from the DWCD and Bureau

Jerry Griffin has been a long standing member and officer of the Appalachian Paddling Enthusiasts for over two decades. His humble demeanor and servant’s heart has been a shining example to our local paddling community. He is always one of the first to step up to help with a river access project, river cleanup or guide a beginner/intermediate paddler down a local river and plays a key role in providing volunteer labor and equipment for many local river access projects. He has helped

The rivers are rising and warming up, and if you are like us your calendar is filling up with river trips scattered around your region and beyond. One of the many cool things about paddling is how we can traverse natural landscapes without even leaving a footprint. While our paddle strokes disappear when their tiny whirlpools collapse, it’s still a good time of year to reflect on how we can be the best possible visitors to the special places we

THIS WEEK ONLY! American Whitewater is happy to announce that we have partnered once again with FLOAT to bring you limited edition Keep Rivers Flowing stewardship T shirts and hoodies available this week only! For every shirt sold FLOAT will donate $8 to American Whitewater to help us restore rivers. Head on over to FLOAT and shop today – lots of styles and colors to choose from!   Wear your love for wild rivers and support our stewardship work to

American Whitewater is hiring a Policy Strategist for the Colorado Stewardship Program. The Colorado Policy Strategist role is a grant term limited position. The location of the position may vary within the state of Colorado, but in-person meetings along the front range are expected to be frequent. Work would be primarily done from a home office. The policy strategist reports to American Whitewater’s Southern Rockies Stewardship Director, and benefits from significant support and collaboration with AW staff, board members, and

The Bureau of Reclamation is hosting this public meeting at the Dolores Community Center, April 18th 7-9 pm, to discuss the potential managed release for 2019. They will review their operations from 2018 and lay out a prediction of their plan for this year. Come hear about what a release may look like this year and how the BOR does their forecasting. The meeting will include panel members from American Whitewater, Dolores River Boating Advocates, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, BLM, and Fort

For over 40 years, the Clean Water Act has ensured that Americans have clean water to drink and that our rivers are safe for outdoor recreation. Americans recreate in the water – swimming, paddling, surfing, boating, fishing – 4 BILLION times each year (source). Right now there's an attempt by the EPA to significantly weaken the Clean Water Act and we need your voice to help protect the water quality in our nation's rivers!   As crucial as it is,

The US Coast Guard has pulled back their 2017 decision to close a popular section of the Potomac River whenever high ranking political officials are using the adjacent Trump National Golf Course. The decision to replace the 2017 rule came in response to over 630 public comments, significant media, and a lawsuit filed by the AW affiliate club Canoe Cruisers Association. Watch a news video here with interviews and scenes from the river. The new interim rule is a big step in the right

American Whitewater needs your letters written to Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Board Members and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to help protect access to the Class II-III whitewater and White Rock Powerhouse take-out for the Slab Creek section of the South Fork American River. We make it almost too easy with our super simple easy action forms so take action today. In a recently filed Parking and Access Plan, SMUD breaks a condition of the 2007 Upper American River

American Whitewater is proud to recognize Dane White of Jacksonville, AL as our Volunteer of the Month for April.   His friends refer to Dane as our Alabama River Ambassador.  If you've paddled Alabama whitewater in the last 30 years, chances are good you paddled with Dane.  He's lead many hundreds of first-timers down Alabama favorites including Little River Canyon, Town Creek, South Sauty, Teddy Bear, Johnnies, and Short.  Dane shares his enthusiasm for paddling with everyone wanting to experience

American Whitewater needs your help to secure future takeout improvements at Ward’s Ferry Bridge, the takeout for the Wild and Scenic Tuolumne River. Recently, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Don Pedro Hydroelectric Project that does not recommend a whitewater boating  take-out facility at Ward’s Ferry as a license requirement.  In fact FERC staff believes the Don Pedro Project has NO impact to the take-out. Instead, they believe the take-out problems

American Whitewater is excited to announce our partnership with the Montana-based Freeflow Institute. Freeflow Institute is a Montana-based organization offering seminars, workshops, and adventures for creative people in Earth’s wildest classrooms. By offering intelligently structured, professionally catered trips into wild spaces, the Freeflow Institute affords established and emerging writers, artists, and athletes, the time, community, and inspiration to take their practice outside and build creative cohorts of advocates for thoughtful, strategic environmental preservation. The end result – inspired and effective

The Kremmling Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released preliminary plans to update their Special Recreation Area Management Plan for the Upper Colorado River from Parshall to State Bridge. We need the paddling community to speak up for our interests regarding proposed changes to the management of this reach, which includes Gore Canyon and the Pumphouse to State Bridge sections. We make it super easy to comment with our easy action templated forms and we’ll hand