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September brings big booming flows to the Gauley River in WV. Gauley Fest provides the paddling community with an opportunity to gather at this amazing river and celebrate American Whitewater stewardship success. Over the last 30 years Gauley Fest has grown to become the largest river festival in the world. Gauley Fest is also the largest membership drive for American Whitewater and your support feeds our national river stewardship effort. Put September 17-20 in your calendar and join us in West Virginia.

Sullivan Creek is a beautiful advanced/expert level creek that tumbles out of the lush Selkirk Range in the remote northeastern corner of Washington State. American Whitewater worked with the dam owner and other local stakeholders to improve the fall drawdown water releases from Sullivan Lake for whitewater paddling, economic value, and ecological considerations. Drawdown releases began yesterday, and are anticipated to provide ideal paddling conditions starting today, and extending through much of the fall.     American Whitewater partnered with

Earlier this year the Virginia Marine Resources Commission confirmed that they consider Johns Creek and several other whitewater streams navigable and public.  This determination is based on their policy of assuming streams of sufficient size are navigable unless proven otherwise. This is a common sense approach that respects the rights of citizens that own property adjacent to rivers, as well those who wish to rightfully enjoy those public rivers and streams. Newspapers have reported that local law enforcement recognize that

Snohomish PUD will be releasing flows from Culmback Dam on the Upper Sultan River on Saturday, September 12th, providing an opportunity for whitewater recreation. The flows are required under the hydropower project’s license to benefit the overall health of the river and aid the upstream migration of adult salmon. These flows have been required in recent years, and beginning in 2015, began to be scheduled on a weekend with advance notice to allow whitewater paddlers to take advantage of the

American Whitewater recognizes Hattie Johnson as our August 2015 Volunteer of the Month!    As our motto says, Rivers need to be protected, restored and ENJOYED, and this is the key component of river stewardship that Hattie has helped address this past month. On July 13th, Hattie took over the feeding, caring, and planning of Colorado's Gore Fest, and by the kick-off on August 21st, it was clear she knocked it out of the park!   American Whitewater has a

Whether you are a resident or a visitor, you undoubtedly love to paddle in Colorado. So how do we preserve the rivers that we know and love? When it comes to the future of recreation and river health, the Colorado Water Plan is the focus. This plan offers a strategic vision:  a productive economy that supports vibrant and sustainable cities, productive agriculture, a strong environment, and a robust recreation industry. This plan is being developed with your input and the

Maine kayactivists, donned in their PFDs, converged on a meeting in Westbrook this week to demand that plans to decommission a dam on the Presumpscot River include effective fish passage and high quality boating opportunities. The dam is being decommissioned by SAPPI Fine Paper who owns and operated a hydropower dam there. SAPPI, who has resisted efforts to provide effective passage for two decades until the U.S. Supreme Court ordered them to do so, will be removing the dam, installing

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American Whitewater is proud to announce the two affiliate recipients of the 2015 Clif Bar Flowing Rivers Campaign: Save The Ocoee and Base Camp Cullowhee! Each group will receive a $1,250 grant to go towards their respective stewardship projects.     Save The Ocoee The Ocoee River is the nation’s most popular whitewater river with nearly 250,000 visits annually for paddling. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) normally diverts water around the riverbed through one of the nation’s only wooden flumes used to

The "Ohiopyle Over the Falls Festival" will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2015. Come on out and participate in the Falls Race, the Free Style event, or just run laps on the falls! Prize money and places are increased this year. Additional activities will include a Silent Auction and Town Party at 7:30pm featuring The Mavens at the Steward on the Green Community Park in Ohiopyle. The new Ohiopyle Visitor's Center will be open, be sure to stop in

Since 1965, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has been a critical source of funding for important river access projects and other recreational pursuits across the country. In addition to ensuring access to paddling, the Fund supports creating and maintaining the places where we reconnect with nature and our families and friends–from local soccer fields and playgrounds all the way up to State and National Parks. The Fund also goes towards projects that protect water quality, preserve open space

Over the past couple months we’ve shared news of the hydropower industry asking Congress to give them huge advantages in damming and diverting rivers.  Paddlers and other river enthusiasts responded loudly with emails and calls to political leaders, and with editorials in newspapers. In addition, many AW affiliate clubs signed onto a powerful letter to Congress. Thanks to your efforts, some of the worst parts of the industry’s wish list were cut away as the Senate crafted an energy bill.

Things have been dry in California but the water will be flowing for the 2015 Feather Fest.  American Whitewater will be hosting the 25th annual event near Tobin (CA) during  the scheduled releases on the Rock Creek reach of the Feather River.  American Whitewater negotiated these releases 15 years ago, during that time, the Feather Fest has become the biggest river festival in California.  The September 25-27 benefit event will be held at "Indian Jim School" campground located two miles upstream

Join us in Summersville, WV September 18th and 19th for the biggest and best Gauley Fest ever. Reserve your Vendor booth now! Started in 1983 to celebrate the derailment of a hydro-electric project that would have disrupted the flows on the Gauley River, Gauley Fest has grown to become the largest river festival in the world. It's a showcase for American Whitewater and the top whitewater vendors in the boating community. Take advantage of the 15% discount on Vendor booths

Please consider signing up to volunteer for two hours (or more) and become a part of the Gauley Fest Volunteer Team! It's a fun and easy way for you to be a critical part of an amazing festival that's also AW's biggest fundraiser. For your time you'll be given an exclusive "volunteers only" Gauley Fest t-shirt, tickets for a "volunteer only" raffle, plus the feeling of knowing that you help make Gauley Fest happen! We even have a few more

American Whitewater firmly believes that you can’t protect what you don’t know. Colorado’s Yampa River is a prime example of this belief, and after exploring this river with our members in May, and participating in the Yampa River Awareness Project with decision makers from across the water world, we are hard at work protecting one of the Most Endangered Whitewater Resources in the country. We’ve had some wonderful experiences on the Yampa and AW continues to be in the forefront

Hydropower legislation is on the move in Congress and paddler’s voices are needed to protect our rivers. This week, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee introduced a comprehensive energy package (the "Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015”), and the hydropower provisions hold many of the same dangerous outcomes for our rivers as the legislation we’ve been tracking in recent months.   If passed, the Act will severely compromise the ability of local communities, federal agencies and tribes to protect and revive