Articles - American Whitewater

Low-Head Dam Inventory Included in 2024 Water Resources Development Act

December 10, 2024

American Whitewater was successful in getting a national low-head dam inventory into the final Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA 2024) for Congress to vote on before the end of this year. Over the past 50 years, low-head dams have claimed more than 1,400 lives. American Whitewater’s database of whitewater accidents and fatalities, maintained since 1972, documents that 10% of fatalities nationwide are a result of individuals getting caught in a low-head dam hydraulic. There has been no reliable

Southern Rockies End of Year Recap!

December 10, 2024

We have a lot to celebrate for our Southern Rockies rivers this year! We could not have accomplished these milestones without the support from our members and our passionate river community! If you are able, please consider donating to American Whitewater for Colorado Gives Day. Any donations made through December 10th will help us leverage additional funds from the Colorado Gives Day Program and support our Colorado River Access Program. Our work on river access is only funded by your

Southern Rockies End of Year Recap

December 10, 2024

Holiday Offer Available Now!

December 10, 2024

Looking for that special gift for someone or just feeling the need to treat yourself? Our American Whitewater Holiday Offer just went live! You can get a Standard Membership ($35), your choice of a green or camel colored AW beanie, and a 2024 calendar (plus shipping) all for $75. Head to our membership form and snag a Holiday Offer today. This is a splendid way to support our Stewardship work at American Whitewater. The beanies, made by Richardson, are waffle-cuffed and

Colorado River Negotiations Stalled, Boaters at the Table

December 10, 2024

Last week, the Southern Rockies Team traveled to the annual Colorado River conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. We met directly with the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and our non-profit partners about the future of the Colorado River and how changes in reservoir operations at Glen Canyon and Hoover Dams will impact the Grand Canyon and Cataract Canyon. We also listened in on discussions between the Colorado River Basin states and federal agencies,

Georgia Right to Float Committee Wraps Up

December 10, 2024

A legislative committee that spent much of 2024 exploring Georgia’s stream access laws has wrapped up its work with a final report. The report discusses the various perspectives the committee heard during their outreach, and issued a list of recommendations that support keeping stream access laws as they are. River enthusiasts can breathe a sigh of relief that the committee recommended against legislating a list of rivers where the public has–and does not have–the right to paddle. American Whitewater would

Take a Look at Our Goals to Expand and Improve River Access in 2025

December 10, 2024

What does having safe river access mean to you and your family? For most of you reading this, we’d be willing to wager it’s incredibly important for your quality of life and something you cherish. Take a look at some of our ambitious goals to improve and expand river access across the country in our 2024 Winter Stewardship Update! You should know, we have big plans for 2025. From dam removals, new instream flows in dewatered rivers, and securing new

Deadbeat Dam Argument in Appeals Court

December 3, 2024

American Whitewater’s challenge to a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decision allowing the abandonment of two deadbeat hydropower dams on the Salmon Falls River on the Maine/New Hampshire border was heard in the Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, on November 20th. The three judge panel considered whether FERC properly considered the dam removal alternative to the proposed abandonment and whether dam removal was in the public interest. The abandoned dams will continue to block fish passage, disrupt river connectivity, and

American Whitewater Sues Agencies for Allowing Mining in Nolichucky River

November 18, 2024

ERWIN, Tenn. — The Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of American Rivers and American Whitewater, sued several federal agencies on Monday, saying the agencies violated federal law by allowing a rail company to mine the Nolichucky River in East Tennessee. Recently CSX Transportation, a major railroad company, began mining the Nolichucky’s riverbed for rock while repairing a rail line that was washed away during Hurricane Helene. Trucking in rock from upland quarries is standard practice and much less destructive.

Comment in Support of Whitewater Recreation on the Montreal River (WI/MI)

November 13, 2024

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has provided public notice that they will be reviewing license applications for the Gile Flowage, Saxon Falls, and Superior Falls hydroelectric projects. Their review will impact the future of whitewater opportunities on the West Branch Montreal and Montreal Canyon, including flow management, flow data, and public access. The good news is Northern States Power Company has filed license applications that include accommodations for whitewater recreation. If you are interested you can read the full

American Whitewater Ushers In New Stream Gage Service

November 12, 2024

American Whitewater is pleased to announce that we’ve replaced our popular stream gage service with a new service that will improve performance for river enthusiasts. American Whitewater’s National Whitewater Inventory (NWI) is the definitive online guide to whitewater rivers in the United States, and dates back to the 1990s. Along with crowdsourced descriptions and images of over 6,000 whitewater runs, the NWI associates most runs with an online flow gage and depicts whether the runs are low, medium, or high

Georgia Committee Meets Wednesday to Consider Paddling Rights

November 11, 2024

The House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters will host a final meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 9 a.m. in Newnan Donald W. Nixon Centre for Performing and Visual Arts in Newnan, GA. The committee is charged with making recommendations to the full General Assembly about where Georgians should have the right to boat, fish and hunt on the state’s rivers and streams. If the committee adopts a narrow view of this right as they appear to

Don’t Let Railroad Rebuild Destroy the Nolichucky Gorge (Updated X2)

November 6, 2024

Second Update: The reckless mining of the Nolichucky River’s bed and banks continues, despite news yesterday that it would be halted. The Army Corps of Engineers called AW yesterday to let us know that there would be no more mining below the ordinary high water line, but it turns out they did not provide guidance on where that line is, and the riverbed excavation continues with no oversight or regulatory limits. It seems clear that none of the federal agencies

Canyon Creek Access Temporarily Closed (WA)

October 25, 2024

As the winter paddling season in the Pacific Northwest starts to get underway many eagerly await the opportunities to get out on Canyon Creek in the Lewis River drainage. Local volunteers worked to save this creek from hydropower development in the 1990s and many know it as one of the gems for creek boating in the greater Portland metro area. Unfortunately access to the take-out is currently closed due to vandalism this past summer. The standard run on Canyon Creek

Journal Moves to More Sustainable Production Model

October 15, 2024

FSC certification ensures that paper products come from sustainably managed forests. This means the wood used for paper is sourced from forests that are responsibly managed to preserve ecological balance and support local communities. FSC certification helps paper and printing companies demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability and provides consumers with assurance that the paper products they purchase support responsible forest management. As an Ameren UE Pure Power Partner, Modern Litho supports the generation of 77,000 kWh of wind power

Journal Moves to More Sustainable Production Model

October 15, 2024

The new Sept/Oct American Whitewater Journal should be landing in your mailbox soon and you may notice it looks, feels, and maybe even smells a little different. You may also notice a couple of new logos inside this issue’s first few pages. The new look and feel, and these logos, represent our shift to using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper and to producing the Journal in a Pure Power certified facility that uses renewable energy sources. The team that

Celebration of Life for Chris Tulley Scheduled for Nov 2

October 10, 2024

American Whitewater Board of Directors member, Chris Tulley, of Folsom, CA, passed away on Friday, October 4th while paddling the South Fork of the Feather River, near La Porte, California. The entire American Whitewater family is deeply saddened by his passing and eternally grateful for his dedication to our organization and river stewardship. Chris was a longtime contributor to American Whitewater in numerous ways, including in his service as a Board member, as a volunteer working closely with our California

Reflections on Loss and Opportunity In Flood Ravaged Western North Carolina

October 9, 2024

I can still feel the lines in my body. I close my eyes and I run the Green Narrows in my mind, and my body feels every move. As I think about the rapids, certain muscles tense, like a dog chasing rabbits in its dreams. Following Hurricane Helene, these moves, these currents, these images are now just dreams of a river forever lost. And like a wonderful dream, I want to hold on to it, knowing it’s all that is

Forest Service Backs Elimination of Lochsa Area River Protections

October 9, 2024

The Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest recognized that 88 rivers on the National Forest lands they manage are eligible for Wild and Scenic designation. Normally this would mean the free-flowing nature and special values of these streams would be protected in a new forest management plan. Instead, the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest used a sketchy political process to release 76! of those rivers from protection. American Whitewater and several other groups appealed their decision. Tthis week our appeal was

Montana Walks Back Proposed Fish Creek Paddling Ban

October 9, 2024

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (MTFWP) released their final Fish Creek Recreation Strategy earlier this week, in which they no longer propose to ban paddling as they had in their draft plan. We would like to thank MTFWP for listening to the public and eliminating what would have been a major mis-step in the management of the State’s rivers. While we are relieved that the agency changed course, the final plan contains concerning language around paddling, and the public should

Hurricane Helene Update and Resources

October 3, 2024

Although we are devastated and overwhelmed by the magnitude of the destruction of Hurricane Helene, we are inspired by the resourceful heroes in our communities that are digging-in and finding multitudes of ways to help—scores of folks, many of whom are boaters, are leading the charge in recovery efforts. Our network is uniquely equipped as helpers, and we are grateful. Many people have reached out to ask us how they can help and where to direct funds. There are a

New Public Safety Conditions for PG&E’s Kerckhoff Hydroelectric Project (CA)

October 3, 2024

[Fresno,Calif., Oct. 3, 2024] – State and federal agencies have mandated new safety and environmental conditions for Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s Kerckhoff Hydroelectric Project on the San Joaquin River as part of the federal hydropower relicensing process overseen by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The measures imposed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife are designed to improve public safety and

Hurricane Helene Wreaks Havoc on River Community Including American Whitewater

September 30, 2024

Massive flooding, landslides, and wind damage related to Hurricane Helene has put western North Carolina, southeast Tennessee and other parts of the region in crisis, and many in our river loving community, including members of the American Whitewater staff and board have been severely affected. Infrastructure including modes of communication and roads critical to deliveries of essential goods have been destroyed and it may be some time before anything resembling normal business returns to the area. This includes American Whitewater

Fall 2024 Update on California Whitewater Boating Releases

September 16, 2024

We have some exciting fall releases and boating information to share! Fall is the driest time of year in California and has the fewest boating opportunities, but American Whitewater has worked to secure releases to help keep you on the water. Plus, our annual Feather River Festival is also coming up with great boating and camaraderie and we could use some more volunteers to help make it a success! NF Feather – Poe + Bardees Bar (Class V, Class III/IV)

Georgia Committee Meeting on the Right to Paddle this Friday

September 16, 2024

A special state House study committee tasked with determining the public’s rights to paddle on Georgia’s streams will hear from the public for the first time in a meeting scheduled for Sept. 20 at Unicoi State Park. The meeting could result in recommendations to dramatically curtail the public’s right to paddle rivers in Georgia. Friday’s meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the lodge at Unicoi State Park, near Helen, GA. Following a presentation by the Department of Natural Resources,