The March/April issue of the AW Journal features "River Access Across the Country". This issue includes. . . * River Access Focus * AW Rogue Trip 2016 * Remembering Wolf Bauer * . . .and much more Current members – Read the issue now! Not a current member – Join or Renew!
Spokane – On Monday, advocates for the Spokane River petitioned the Washington Department of Ecology (“Ecology”) to increase its flow rule for the popular and heavily-used Spokane River. The Spokane River is a much beloved urban river that flows through the second largest city in Washington State, including spectacular waterfalls and a deep gorge. Conservationists are seeking a minimum summertime flow of 1,800 – 2800 cubic feet per second (CFS) to support fisheries and recreation, and protect higher flows
The boating community needs your help in sustaining whitewater boating opportunities on the Green River in Northern Vermont. Vermont has issued draft conditions for the relicensing of the hydropower project on the Green River that would drastically limit naturally occurring boatable flows and eliminate all opportunities for scheduled whitewater boating releases for the next 40-50 years. In its Draft Water Quality Certification for the Morrisville Project, DEC proposes to mandate flows that would eliminate 50 percent of naturally occurring
Last week, American Whitewater recommended that the U.S. Forest Service assess whether numerous whitewater rivers in California are eligible for Wild and Scenic status. The agency is currently revising Forest Plans for the Inyo, Sequoia and Sierra National Forests, and this process provides an opportunity to evaluate rivers for whether they are eligible for Wild and Scenic designation. If a river is found eligible through this process, the Forest Service protects the values that could make it worthy for Wild
We are pleased to recognize Edgar Peck as the Volunteer of the Month for February, 2016. Edgar is a fixture on the classic Watauga River near Boone, North Carolina, so it was only natural that he discovered an opportunity to establish public access at the river's put-in. Edgar then developed key partnerships with the landowner, local government representatives, a land trust, and funders to purchase a tract of land at the put in and develop a management plan. It was
We are sad to report the passing of Wolf Bauer one of American Whitewater’s original founders. Born in 1912 in the Bavarian Alps, Wolf came to Seattle at the age of 13 and was awarded a membership to The Mountaineers as a youth. Already an accomplished skier, Wolf quickly came to love his new home at the doorstep of the Cascades where he began to hike and climb with the Boy Scouts. Through college he established the region’s first instructional
Army Corps announces 2016 F.E. Walter Dam water release schedule The U.S. Army Corps Engineers’ Philadelphia District released the 2016 Flow Management Plan for the Francis E. Walter Dam in White Haven, PA. The plan, developed in partnership with Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, lists dates and release amounts for whitewater and fisheries releases for the 2016 recreation season. The plan incorporates several changes from the previous year agreed upon by partner
Paddlers made a great showing at the January 28th Deep Creek Watershed Planning Meeting in McHenry, MD. Releases from Deep Creek Lake that support paddling on the Upper Youghioghenny River have been under attack by homeowners on backwater lots who are left high and dry during droughts. Friendsville town councilman Jess Whittemore and Upper Yough outfitter Roger Zbell have been ably representing whitewater paddlers for years. They know the river and dam inside out! Their goal has been to see
This week Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Order 16-04 designating Oregon’s first new State Scenic Waterways since 1988. Portions of the Chetco and Molalla Rivers were chosen as rivers that meet the Scenic Waterways Act criteria for outstanding scenic, fish, wildlife, geological, botanical, cultural, and outdoor recreation opportunities. "Oregon is blessed with a diversity of river systems that richly contribute to our quality of life, and Oregonians value our rivers' importance to our economies, communities, and ecosystems," said Governor
For the past couple of years, the staff of America Whitewater has joined with a number if our members to participate in a four-day float trip on the Rogue River in southern Oregon. This trip has been a great opportunity to connect with members in ways that build a lasting understanding of the role of recreation in fostering a stewardship ethic. As one of the original eight Wild and Scenic Rivers in the country, the Rogue is an outstanding classroom
A coalition of conservation groups filed suit this past week to protect Puget Sound Chinook salmon, steelhead and bull trout – all threatened with extinction – from being killed by the Electron hydroelectric project on the Puyallup River. "Wild salmon and steelhead are part of who we are in the Pacific Northwest, and protecting this habitat is critical to their recovery. This is a clear-cut case of illegal 'take' of three species threatened with extinction," said Andrea Rodgers, attorney
Come see American Whitewater and the year's best photos and videos at the National Paddling Film Festival (NPFF)! This year's NPFF will be held on February 19-20 in Frankfort, KY at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. You can buy a ticket to the magic via this easy online order form. Tickets are $20 online or $25 at the door. For 34 years the National Paddling Film Festival has been hosting a competition to determine the best in paddle sport videos
The Winter issue of the AW Journal features "The Top Ten Stewardship Issues of 2016". This issue also includes. . . * Top Ten 2015 Update * The Heart of the Sierras: Hiking In, Paddling Out * Shredding Sub-ELF Flows on the Selway * . . .and much more Current members – Read the issue now! Not a current member – Join or Renew!
For the March 2016 issue of the American Whitewater Journal, we'll be highlighting the challenges and opportunities for river access that paddlers face across the country. In the West, where some of the most contentious access conflicts till persist, our Colorado River Stewardship Program wants to hear your stories! Whether it's a terribly placed fence, a pissed-off landowner, bad signage, or local governments not honoring your rights as a paddler, we'd like to hear your stories of access gained and
The Washington Department of Natural Resources is embarking on a new planning project that will guide recreation on DNR-managed lands in the Nooksack River and Whatcom Lake watersheds for the next 10-15 years (view planning website). The plan will help DNR ensure recreation on DNR-managed lands in the Whatcom County area is fun and sustainable for years to come. For river runners, the DNR lands include sections of the North Fork Nooksack River downstream of the Canyon (including land
This month, American Whitewater supporters stepped up, took action, and made a difference on two important issues that have a big impact on river conservation and recreation. As Congress wraps up the session for 2015, here’s an update on where things stand with hydropower legislation and Land and Water Conservation Fund. H.R. 8 – Hydropower Legislation Background: H.R. 8 is a comprehensive energy bill that has some very troubling implications for rivers with private and municipal hydropower dams.
The Forest Service recently released a great list of 53 rivers and creeks they view as potentially worthy of protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and asked for feedback. Numerous paddlers responded this week to share the exemplary values of the region's whitewater gems and to argue for full protection. With the comment period now closed the Forest Service will select a system of protected streams based on public comments and other information. We'll have a chance to
Dick Schwid’s guidebook, West Coast River Touring is now available on the American Whitewater website as a download. In addition to river descriptions that are found in no other guidebooks, Schwind’s guide contains a wealth of information on an array of topics, including: boat selection, roll instruction, and reading hydrographs. All still interesting reading today, essential in an era before the Internet and on demand everything. Dick Schwind was one of the most active kayakers in California in the 1960s
In response to American Whitewater and community advocacy to follow CA Streets & Highway Code 991, the Transportation Division of the El Dorado County Community Development Agency issued an invitation to comment on river access for the Mosquito Bridge Replacement Project. Mosquito Road Bridge is one of two public take-out sites for the South Fork American River below Slab Creek and allows paddlers the option to take out before the Cls V Motherlode Falls Rapid. Thus
The California State Lands Commission (SLC) is in the final stages of updating their strategic plan through the final draft of the California State Lands Commission Strategic Plan 2016 – 2020. Led by California State Lieutenant Governor, Gavin Newsom, State Controller, Betty Yee and Director of Finance, Michael Cohen the Lands Commission is tasked with protecting the lands that are controlled by the State of California. This includes all of the lands under and adjacent to the navigable rivers within
Yosemite National Park recently announced that it is beginning the process of updating its Wilderness Stewardship Plan, and has requested that the public provide comment about the future of the Wilderness lands within the Park. The Wilderness Stewardship Plan will govern activities within Yosemite’s designated Wilderness Areas, which make up about 94% of the Park. Earlier this year, Yosemite National Park began to implement its Merced and Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Management Plans, which opened both rivers to
On December 1st Black Canyon Hydro LLC filed its License Application for the Black Canyon Hydropower Project (FERC No. P-14110) on the North Fork Snoqualmie River (read the application). If constructed, this project would involve dewatering Ernie’s Gorge and putting it in a pipe to generate hydropower. This section of the river is a whitewater gem close to Seattle, and American Whitewater has been engaged in the process since the project was proposed in 2011. Ernie's Gorge is a
In response to of the state’s draft basin plan for southern Vermont, American Whitewater and scores of boaters pressed the state to support the expansion of releases on the West River. Restrictions by the Corps of Engineers and Agency of Natural Resources have led to the elimination of nearly all scheduled boating opportunities on the West River over the past two decades, eliminating recreation opportunity and hurting the local economy. AW and its partners have been working to restore these
In response to requests by American Whitewater, several affiliates, and other stakeholders, FERC directed Brookfield Renewable to study the impact of its hydropower operations on whitewater boating on the Deerfield River in western Massachusetts. Boating groups and our supporters are seeking to determine optimal whitewater boating flows from the Fife Brook Dam and whether changes in hydropower operations would enhance boating opportunities, access and navigation. Whitewater boating on the Deerfield River dates back to the 1990’s when AW, New
American Whitewater has been in discussions with the Forest Service (USFS) and Southern California Edison (SCE). To revise the USFS conditions for the KR #3 project above Kernville. The primary result for paddlers will be new online flow information, these gauges will include, inflow to Fairview Dam and flows below the Dam. Additionally, SCE will report a running average for each day’s flow beginning at midnight. SCE is required to release additional flows below Fairview dam if the previous days
