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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

We were not surprised, but we were bummed out, to hear that a court put on hold the incredibly important clarification of the Clean Water Act known as the Waters of the United States rule. We've been supporting the new rule because its protections are critical for paddlers as well as for drinking water supplies around the country. Here are the gnarly details: The US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit granted a temporary stay against the new rule from

The Grand Canyon is a national treasure, and not just for us paddlers. From rafting and kayaking to hiking and just plain enjoying, the Canyon is where it’s at. But there’s a threat to the Canyon and the Colorado River that’s been polluting water in the area for decades: uranium mining. Today, we finally have a chance to fully protect the canyon with a new bill authored by Rep Raul Grijalva of Arizona. The bill would stop, once and for

On October 8, 2015, a significantly amended Yellowstone and Grand Teton Paddling Act passed the House Natural Resources Committee. The amended bill, HR 974, would require the Parks to allow at least some amount of paddling on 50 specific rivers in the parks following a 3-year analysis and public process. Yellowstone National Park banned river paddling to prevent overfishing in 1950.  Grand Teton National Park has allowed river paddling only on the Snake River since the 1960’s. While the Park Service generally encourages healthy

This past summer Senator Ron Wyden held a series of listening sessions across the state of Oregon where he heard how Oregon’s travel and tourism economy has grown to the point that it’s become a huge economic engine. Travel and tourism contribute about $10.3 billion to the state’s economy and provide 100,000 direct jobs. In a state with more Wild and Scenic Rivers than any other state in the nation, we know that wild rivers are at the heart of

This weekend, October 10-11, 2015, is the first of two weekend releases on the Pit 1 reach of the Pit River. We have been notified by the Shasta County Department of Transportation that the Pit River Bridge, just outside the town of Fall River Mills, will be closed indefinitely due to safety concerns.  This will impact access to the put-in for the release this weekend and in the future.  The recommended shuttle route, through the town of McArthur, will add

American Whitewater is deeply disappointed to see Congress fail to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund ahead of its expiration on September 30. Over its 50-year life, LWCF has proven indispensable for providing close-to-home opportunities for outdoor recreation, as well as for protecting our country's most iconic landscapes. Its expiration is an unfortunate loss for the outdoor recreation community, but we are greatly encouraged by the tremendous outpouring of support and energy from our community and the overwhelming majority

American Whitewater is proud to announce Michael Maloney as our October Volunteer of the Month! Michael generously contributed over 40 hours of his time at Gauley Fest this year, checking in and training over 100 volunteers as the Day-Of Volunteer Coordinator. In addition to his time, Michael shared his optimism and sense of humor, all while demonstrating incredible leadership skills with the team.  We appreciate Michael's contributions and membership, and can't wait to have him back at Gauley Fest next year!

Despite the many challenges paddlers face preserving our beautiful, wild rivers, there are incredible moments to celebrate. And today we mark one!   AW’s Colorado River Director Nathan Fey has been tapped to serve on the Governor's Advisory Council of Colorado’s newly created Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper appointed the very capable Luis Benitez as Director of the Office, a famed climber, Outward Boud Staffer, paddler, business leader, and Eagle, CO city councilman.   Benitez will lead

The last 2015 whitewater release on the Savage River in Western Maryland will be on Saturday, September 26th from 10 AM to 4 PM. This is a lively, continuous Class III-IV run in a beautiful valley. Because of landowner requirements at the takeout EVERYONE needs to sign the waiver and use the shuttle provided by Garrett College Adventuresports Institute. They did a great job with the shuttle on the other releases and the river is a hoot! Be ready to

Join with fellow river-loving friends for the Free the Snake Flotilla! When: Saturday, October 3rd, 2015, Meet at 8:00 a.m., group launch at 10 a.m. for a rally on the river. Where:  Wawawai County Park, on the lower Snake River near Pullman, WA. Camping available at the Park and nearby locations. Be sure to make your reservation. For further details, including camping options, complete schedule, and to RSVP go to: www.freethesnake.com “¨ What: Join fellow kayakers along with salmon advocates, tribal members, anglers, outfitters, orca

Colorado's Water Plan has been a multi-year effort to study, and plan for, the water demands of our cities, farms, and rivers for the next 50 years. The Plan has been out for public comment since July, and we are quickly approaching the last day to provide input before the Plan is finalized. The FINAL deadline to comment is September 17. Please click the email link to send your comments. Take Action TODAY! The current draft Water Plan contains many