Articles

The Lewis and Clark National Forest (MT) is updating the inventory of streams they protect as "eligible" for Wild and Scenic designation. To be eligible a stream reach must be undammed and have at least one rare, unique, or exemplary value that is regionally or nationally significant. This marks an incredible opportunity for the paddling community to help protect rivers on the Rocky Mountain Front, in the Upper Blackfoot and Little Blackfoot watersheds, and in the Big Belts, Little Belts,

Russell Fork Rendezvous and the Lord Of The Fork Race bring together the southeast/mid atlantic boating community and could not happen without strong volunteer leadership. Participants enjoy great music, good food, camaraderie, bonfires, films, and lots of great whitewater on the banks of the Russell Fork near Elkhorn City, KY. American Whitewater benefits with a strong membership drive around the event.   AW’s December Volunteers of the Month are the team that hosts these Russell Fork events; Bob Larkin, Nate Scally and

The House is scheduled to vote the week of November 30th on the hydropower legislation we’ve been tracking since late spring. It still spells really, really bad news for rivers and paddler’s voices are very important right now!   H.R. 8 (the "North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act”) is a comprehensive energy bill with hydropower provisions that, if passed, will make restoring rivers impacted by hydropower dams significantly more challenging (these provisions are in Title I Subtitle C of

DENVER РColorado Governor John Hickenlooper was presented with Colorado's first Statewide Water Plan Thursday morning. He called the project a historic step for the state of Colorado. ҬӬMembers of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Colorado's water community, and 150 attendees were on hand for the presentation of the Final plan, which was delivered ahead of its initial December deadline.ӬӬ In the spring of 2013, Hickenlooper directed the Colorado Water Conservation Board to work with local communities to develop the

DENVER, Colorado – As the leading conservation group representing whitewater paddlers in Colorado, American Whitewater is pleased that years of hard work on the State's’s first-ever water plan reflects Coloradans’ overwhelming support for conservation and river protection. It is critical that the Plan be implemented accordingly, so that rivers are protected, restored, and enjoyed!”¨ American Whitewater and our conservation partners including Audubon, American Rivers, Conservation Colorado, Environmental Defense Fund, San Juan Citizens Alliance and Western Resource Advocates, released a statement

California State Parks and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will need boater input for a joint General Plan/Resource Management Plan (RMP) for Auburn State Recreation Area (SRA).  The whitewater runs within the 33,000 acres of land along over forty miles of river canyon on the North & Middle Fork of the American River include: NF American Chamberlain Falls, NF American Shirtail, MF American Tunnel Run, MF American Greenwood Bridge to Mammoth Bar and NF & MF American Confluence to Folsom Lake Auburn SRA was originally

Each year American Whitewater’s membership elects Board of Director members to serve three-year terms. These candidates volunteer to serve on the American Whitewater Board. Current American Whitewater members can cast their votes through Midnight Pacific Time, December 15th. Currently, American Whitewater has four returning Directors to fill four open seats for election, you may vote for up to four candidates on the slate. The ballot for our Board of Directors election is placed online here.   You must be a current American

The Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are updating their management plans which include the list of streams they protect as "eligible" for Wild and Scenic designation. To be eligible a stream reach must be undammed and have at least one rare, unique, or exemplary value that is regionally or nationally significant. No one knows WNC's streams like paddlers, and this marks an incredible opportunty for our community to protect our favorite runs from dams and other impacts. Their are almost

The '85 Flood slammed the Cheat River Rafting Business The 1985 flood had a big impact on the whitewater rafting business and affected everyone who paddled the river in canoes and kayaks. It struck near the end of the "Glory Days" of Cheat River Rafting, when outfitters were guiding roughly 40,000 people down the river each year. In1976 I joined the springtime frenzy as a part time guide, working in Philadelphia and driving out on weekends to help "the boys"

Colorado Gives Day is on December 8th but you can schedule your donation today!                                            Your gift matters! American Whitewater is working hard to protect and restore flows to Colorado’s rivers. With your support, we’ll defend the public’s ability to fish and float Colorado’s rivers and keep working hard to ensure that the Colorado Water Plan will protect the state's

Are you looking for that special Holiday gift for the paddler or river enthusiast on your list? How about an AW membership and an AW Klean Kanteen! American Whitewater is pleased to announce our 2015 Holiday Membership Offer – a one year AW membership paired up with our AW Klean Kanteen pint cup. . .and all for just $40! Giving a great gift and supporting your favorite non-profit at the same time. . .great river karma! We’ve made ordering the

The 2016 American Whitewater calendar is now available for purchase. Each year, we collect the best photos from our gracious paddling community and pick out our favorites for the annual AW calendar. The proceeds from calendar sales support our river stewardship work. It's an awesome fundraiser and a product that we know you'll love. Consider picking one up today. . .they also make great gifts. Don't miss out, place your order now!

Over the next several months, American Whitewater will continue to work to protect and restore the rivers that you love across the country, and ensure that everyone can enjoy them safely. As you'll see in our 2015 Winter Appeal, we've got our work cut out for us, from standing up for the right to float in Colorado and Virginia to securing protection for freely-flowing rivers across the country and working to restore flows to rivers impacted by hydropower. We can't do

This year, American Whitewater has supported a new Clean Water Rule by the EPA and Army Corps that restores protections to our nation’s headwater streams and wetlands. This week, the rule is under attack in Congress, along with the fate of millions of acres of wetlands and headwater streams. These headwater streams are directly connected to the rivers we paddle, and protecting them from pollution helps keep your paddling adventures safe and healthy.    The new Clean Water Rule restores

River festivals, such as those on the Gauley, Deerfield and Feather take a significant amount of time, effort and energy on the part of American Whitewater staff and volunteers. Without our volunteers, the simple fact is that these events cound not take place. While there's no doubt that every little bit helps when it comes to putting on events, some individuals go above and beyond and are indispensable in making events happen. At this year's Feather Fest, Dan and Ginni

American Whitewater has received a 6th 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest and most utilized independent evaluator of charities.   November 1, 2015, Charity Navigator, America's largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities, announced that American Whitewater has earned its sixth consecutive 4-star rating. Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that American Whitewater adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way. The

With heavy rains in the forecast, Snohomish PUD has announced an “unscheduled” whitewater recreational opportunity on the Upper Sultan River on Sunday, November 1st. Flows are anticipated to be between 600 cfs and 1,000 cfs below Culmback Dam and will begin at 10:00 a.m. In addition to providing a whitewater boating opportunity, these flows will benefit the overall health of the river.    This Class IV gorge is a great piece of whitewater in a spectacular setting. These flows follow scheduled

In June 2016, American Whitewater members will have an opportunity to join American Whitewater staff and board members for an exclusive trip on Oregon’s Rogue River. We invite you to come learn more about our river stewardship program while having a great time enjoying one of our nation’s first Wild and Scenic Rivers. The trip, which will take place June 14-17, will be fully outfitted by Northwest Rafting Company with professional guides, exceptional food, transportation to and from Galice, and