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Image for Affordable Memberships with Installment Plans

Affordable Memberships with Installment Plans

It's easy to become a high-level supporter of American Whitewater with our Membership installment plans. With these plans, you can pay for any AW membership over $250 in your choice of 4 or 12 annual payments. Maybe you're eyeing one of our awesome member rewards or looking to offset your taxes for next year. Or, maybe you just love saving rivers! Regardless, we hope you'll consider increasing your membership level through our installment program. All memberships over $250 are eligible and you

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Image for Power Company Abandons Plans for New Black River Dams (NY)

Power Company Abandons Plans for New Black River Dams (NY)

Earlier this week, Free Flow Power willingly surrendered permits granting them exporation and development rights associated with two proposed new dams on New York's Black River.  The proposed Felts Mills and Great Bend dams, if built, would have inundated 4.8 miles of the Black River that is currently free flowing.    American Whitewater formally intervened in the permitting process for the Felts Mills and Great Bend hydropower projects in 2010.  In our intervention we stressed that these proposed projects required

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Image for The White Salmon is Officially OPEN!!

The White Salmon is Officially OPEN!!

More than two decades after we first investigated the recreational potential of a restored White Salmon River, and a year after a blast of dynamite punched a hole in the base of Condit Dam, the river is now navigable from the headwaters all the way down to the Columbia River! On October 31st, PacifiCorp completed all in-water work in the stretch of river from Northwestern Park to the Columbia River. This technically challenging new stretch of whitewater is now open

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Volunteer of the Month – Presented By Kokatat

American Whitewater is pleased to announce David George as our November 2012 Volunteer of the Month! David was one of our many volunteers at this year's Gauley Fest – an event that takes hundreds of volunteers to put on – and we're very grateful for his help. Gauley Fest's Volunteer Coordinator, Natalie Price, had this to say about David: For Volunteer of the Month, I would like to nominate David George. One of the best volunteers Gauley Fest has at

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Image for Members: Link Your Membership and Website Accounts

Members: Link Your Membership and Website Accounts

At American Whitewater, it’s possible to have two different kinds of accounts: a Membership account and a Website account. A Membership account is for dues-paying AW members (e.g. you get the Journal, and other Members-only benefits), a Website account is a free account on our website (e.g. you can post photos, etc.). These two kinds of accounts can be linked together. If you’re a dues-paying AW Member, doing so provides a number of benefits including no ads/reminders to become a

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Image for Please Read: Winter Appeal 2012

Please Read: Winter Appeal 2012

  American Whitewater is asking all paddlers and river lovers to take 5 minutes and read our 2012 Winter Appeal (pdf). In it, we layout the hard work we’ve done on behalf of river lovers everywhere, members or not.   We won’t sugar coat it, this Winter Appeal is our direct request to all whitewater enthusiasts to make a year end tax-deductible donation to American Whitewater. Your financial support help funds our river stewardship program. We think our consistent successes

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Image for American Whitewater Announces New Fellowship Position - Colorado

American Whitewater Announces New Fellowship Position – Colorado

Gunnison, Colorado – American Whitewater is pleased to announce a new one-year fellowship position within our Colorado River Stewardship Program. The part-time fellowship is a key addition to our ongoing strategic efforts to define recreational flow-needs across the Colorado River basin, and to grow our network of grassroots activists engaged in advancing river management policies at the state and federal levels.  American Whitewater is now accepting applications for this one-year position, which will play a lead role in organizing local

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Image for Changes Proposed for Desolation and Gray Canyon Permitting

Changes Proposed for Desolation and Gray Canyon Permitting

The Bureau of Land Management is currently receiving comments on proposed changes to the river permitting system for the Desolation and Gray Canyons of Utah's Green River. Currently, the permitting system for private boaters is on a first-come, first-serve call in reservation process. The proposed system would change to an online lottery, housed on Recreation.gov. If approved, private lottery applications for the 2013 season would be accepted between December 1, 2012 and January 31, 2013. The fee structure would also change.

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Image for American Whitewater Comments on Sultan River Trail

American Whitewater Comments on Sultan River Trail

Earlier this month the Forest Service invited comment on the maintenance of Forest Road 6122 and the proposed new Sultan River Trail to provide access to the Sultan Gorge.”¨”¨ The Sultan River Canyon Trail was identified as a necessary mitigation measure and a key component of the Settlement Agreement to address recreation needs at the Jackson Project. At one time, paddlers could drive FR 6122 to the river and an access point at the old stringer bridge. A series of landslides

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Image for November/December of the AW Journal Online Now!

November/December of the AW Journal Online Now!

The November/December issue of the AW Journal features California Bridges – New Opportunities for River Access. Our index now provides direct links to each article. this issue includes. . . Board Elections An Education on the Lower Pecos Talkin’ Kayakin Desert Family Float I’m Flipping! I’m Flipping! I’m Flipping! . . .plus much more! Want to read the AW Journal online: You need a current membership and you must be registered with the AW website and have your membership associated

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Image for AW Supports the Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act (MT)

AW Supports the Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act (MT)

Anyone who has been to the east side of Glacier National Park as seen the Rocky Mountain Front, a dramatic and scenic area where the Rocky Mountains meet the northern great plains.  South of the Park the Front is no less dramatic: massive limestone ridges called reefs seem to guard the Bob Marshall, Scape Goat, and Great Bear wilderness areas like great walls.  Crystal clear rivers and streams flow from the mountains, cutting dramatic canyons through the reefs, and spilling

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Image for Keith Backlund, Master Paddlemaker, Dies

Keith Backlund, Master Paddlemaker, Dies

Keith Backlund, a master woodworker who created canoe and kayak paddles of unmatched quality, died on the evening of October 25th. He was 60 years old. Born in the Pocono Mountains of Eastern Pennsylvania, he grew up making many of the things he needed. An interest in whitewater lead him to concentrate on wood paddle making and he soon became expert at both. He knew wood and woodworking better than anyone we know and his paddles were probably the finest

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Image for Happy Birthday Clean Water Act!

Happy Birthday Clean Water Act!

There’s no doubt that the river you love to play on would be very different today if not for the Clean Water Act. On this 40th anniversary of the Act, American Whitewater gives a nod to the signficance of the law in our work, knowing the majority of what we do has a connection to this important piece of legislation. This is particularly true where we work to restore flows through the hydropower relicensing process. The hydropower dams and diversions

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Image for American Whitewater Receives Partner In Conservation Award - Washington D.C.

American Whitewater Receives Partner In Conservation Award – Washington D.C.

On October 18th, American Whitewater staff attended the Department of Interior's Partnership in Conservation Award Ceremony in Washington D.C.  American Whitewater, along with other entities from the seven-state Colorado River basin, were given the Partnership award for our work on the US Bureau of Reclamation's Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study. The Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study is a model for future watershed planning across the Country.  As an unprecidented joint effort between the Bureau

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Image for Fall 2012 Tallulah (GA) Releases Almost Here

Fall 2012 Tallulah (GA) Releases Almost Here

  Fall 2012 Tallulah Release Reminders Scheduled releases occur the first two weekends in April and the first three weekends in November. On Saturday 500 cfs is released and on Sunday 700 cfs. Boaters are allowed on the water once the level stabilizes, which is about 9:30 am; the water is turned off at 4 pm. All boaters must start down the stairs by 3:00 pm to beat the flow down to the lake. You will need to sign a

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Image for AW Testifies for Cleaner Water on the Sac (CA)

AW Testifies for Cleaner Water on the Sac (CA)

On Thursday, October 4th, American Whitewater testified before California's State Water Resources Control Board in support of more stringent water quality protections on the Box Canyon run of the Sacramento River. The Board has been considering an updated NPDES/Clean Water Act permit for the City of Mt. Shasta's wastewater treatment plant. The plant's outfall is found immediately above "Brown Trout" rapid, and the discharges will soon be more protective of contact recreation uses through stronger disinfection standards.  The Board received written comments

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Image for AW Hiring Northeast Stewardship Director

AW Hiring Northeast Stewardship Director

Position: Northeast Stewardship Director Description: The Northeast Stewardship Director will represent American Whitewater in strategically selected regional river conservation and access issues.  These issues include hydropower project management, public land and river management, community planning / river access, and policy issues that affect the region. This highly diverse workload will require review and comment on technical and legal documents, participation in multi-party negotiations, and significant collaboration with volunteers and partner organizations.  In addition to the direct program work, the Northeast

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Tohickon Releases scheduled for November 3-4

The Tohickon Creek is a favorite run for many mid-states paddlers. Every Fall and Spring there are 750 cfs releases from Lake Nockamixon on the first weekend of November. The river is about an hour north of Philadelpia and empties into the Delaware River. Water arrives at Ralph Stover Park around 9:00 am; the five miles below here are playful Class III. Most people take several laps down this wonderful creek. The take out is at Point Pleasant Canoe and

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Image for Share Some Love With AW

Share Some Love With AW

Love and Whitewater Got a cool whitewater-related love story? Did you meet that special someone on the river? Nearly cause a breakup teaching your significant other to boat (yikes!)? Whether it's a cautionary tale, or a sappy soulmate search, we want you to submit your story and photos for our next edition of the American Whitewater Journal by Oct. 25th. Something tells us this could be a really cool issue! Based on the response last time we asked, there are

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Image for Voice Your Support for Wild and Scenic T-Ville (CT)

Voice Your Support for Wild and Scenic T-Ville (CT)

The National Park Service (NPS) has released for public comment a Study Report of Wild and Scenic River designation of the lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook.  Legislation was also introduced to the U.S. Congress this year (HR 4360, S 2286) for Wild & Scenic designation.  Although the legislation is not likely to come up for vote this year, favorable public comment on the Study Report will promote legislation in the next Congress.  Your comments filed before the October 17

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Conservation Alliance Releases New AW Partnership Video

The Conservation Alliance has just released Our Rivers, the second video in the worthWILD series, telling the story of a successful partnership between Conservation Alliance grantee American Whitewater and Conservation Alliance member, Portland-based outdoor footwear brand, KEEN, in their efforts to save rivers nationwide. This documentary shows how AW and KEEN are working together, with support from The Conservation Alliance, to save whitewater rivers by bringing down dams, protecting water flows and habitats, and providing outdoor recreationalists with places to

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Image for Volunteer Of The Month - Presented By Kokatat

Volunteer Of The Month – Presented By Kokatat

American Whitewater is pleased to announce Bryan Mahoney as our October 2012 Volunteer of the Month! Bryan has served AW as a lead volunteer for our annual Gauley Festival fundraiser for over 5 years! Bryan's contributions have included, but are not limited to, countless hours of time shared in unpredictable weather training new volunteers and serving as a supervisor for our front gate admissions. Bryan also shares his time as a volunteer for the Stoney Creek River Festival in his

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Image for Lower Dolores River Draft Implementation Plan Released - Colorado

Lower Dolores River Draft Implementation Plan Released – Colorado

Cortez, Colorado – After several years of work to restore healthy flows in the Lower Dolores River, American Whitewater and a small group of water and conservation interests in the basin have released a new Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation Plan for new management opportunities below McPhee Dam and Reservoir.  The Plan's goal is to restore native fish populations between the dam and the San Miguel River, while protecting world-class whitewater boating opportunities, and other Wild and Scenic values. HISTORY AND

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Adding Death into the Equation

  Posted with the permission of Doug Ammons. Originally published in Doug’s book Whitewater Philosophy, see  www.dougammons.com. Doug is a very experienced expedition paddler and a gifted writer. American Whitewater appreciates the opportunity to reprint his thoughtful article on our safety page.     Adding Death into the Equation  Doug Ammons            Usually we don’t have to defend our reasons for paddling because it is so obvious to us why we do it, but a funeral is different. Some time ago a

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Image for Remembering Alan Panebaker

Remembering Alan Panebaker

    American Whitewater Northeast Stewardship Director, Alan Panebaker, of Montpelier, Vt., passed away on Sept. 19, 2012, while paddling the Pemigewasset River (NH). Alan came to American Whitewater with a Juris Doctor (JD) and a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy from the Vermont Law School, as well as a B.A in Journalism from the University of Montana. He had experience working in both journalism and environmental law fields, and possessed a deep knowledge of the regional rivers and paddling community. 

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