Articles

The public review and comment period for the draft Chesapeake Bay Watershed Public Access Plan has been extended until September 14, 2012. The plan is a product of the Strategy for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, developed in response to President Obamas Executive Order 13508, and which aims to increase public access to the Bay and tributaries by adding 300 new public access sites by 2025. The draft plan is available now for review and comment, and depicts

American Whitewater is working with local outfitters to ensure a utility does not shut off access to one of the Northeast's most popular beginner/intermediate rivers. This summer, Brookfield Renewable, which operates the Fife Brook dam on the Deerfield River in Massachusetts, informed local rafting companies it would be closing access to the put-in when the river exceeded 2,500 cubic feet per second for "safety" reasons. American Whitewater is working with Brookfield to find ways to alleviate concerns over public safety

As a friendly reminder to prospective Gauley Fest vendors, booth prices go up 15% on Sept. 1st, so register now! If you have any questions, please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions. If you don't see your question answered there, feel free to contact us at bookkeeper@americanwhitewater.org or 828-586-1930. See you there!

Due to the ongoing Chips Fire in the Feather River Watershed, the August 25th and 26th whitewater release on the Feather River has been cancelled. In addition to the problems associated with heavy smoke in the area, PG&E has shut down most of the hydroelectric system on the North Fork Feather because of the fire. As a result, there is no way to get water into the Rock Creek reach where the releases were scheduled to occur. The August release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – GROUPS NOTIFY AGENCIES, PG&E OF INTENT TO SUE TO PROTECT ENDANGERED SHASTA CRAYFISH On Thursday, August 9th, American Whitewater and Friends of the River notified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and PG&E of their intent to sue for violations of the Endangered Species Act at the Pit 1 and Hat Creek Hydroelectric Projects. The projects, located in Shasta County California, have numerous impacts on the endangered Shasta crayfish and have operated

Submit your best photos for American Whitewater's annual calendar. When The deadline is August 31st, 2012. How Via our online submission form. Images must be submitted as high-resolution files (suitable for printing up to 10") for inclusion in the calendar, without monetary compensation. Maximum 10 photo entries per person. Who Any and all photographers, from professionals to complete novices. Have you taken a photo before? Then you're ready. Why First, you'll get a free copy of the calendar if your

We've got some great new American Whitewater apparel items added to our online store: Hats Visors Waterdrop Shirt Wave Shirt Women's Ribbon Shirt You can get some great gear and help us save rivers at the same time. This is because the money we raise via product sales goes right back into saving rivers! What's more, current American Whitewater members receive a 10% discount when ordering from our online store (see our FAQ entry on how to get this discount).

Gauley Fest is the world's biggest paddling festival and American Whitewater's biggest fundraiser – but we need your help! Please sign up to volunteer 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. Volunteer Rewards Volunteers-only Gauley Fest T-shirt tickets for a “volunteer only” raffle The feeling of knowing that you help AW put on a critical fundraiser! We've even got a few

Let the countdown begin! T-minus 26 days and counting 'till Bailey Fest 2012! Dates are August 10-12, 2012. Information can be found here: Bailey Fest | Whitewater Kayak Festival | NF South Platte River | Denver, Colorado including camping info, dates, maps, photos, etc. After one of the worst drought years in Colorado, Bailey Fest has what you need… WATER in the river!  Good boating flows are provided thanks to Denver Water moving water from Lake Dillon into the North

  State Agency Certification Supports Dewatering Similkameen Falls   Oroville – Today public interest organizations criticized the Washington State Department of Ecology for certifying that a proposed hydropower project would meet state water quality standards, when the project would instead effectively dewater a historic waterfall on the Similkameen River in Okanogan County.  The state agency’s decision, known as a “401 Certification” under the federal Clean Water Act, will move forward a proposal by Okanogan PUD to reactivate Enloe Dam for

The Hood River is the go-to river for whitewater lovers in Oregon and Washington's Columbia Gorge, and the area around Punch Bowl Falls is an important access point.  Located in a stunning canyon near the confluence of the East and West Forks of the Hood River, Punch Bowl Falls also provides a sanctuary for salmon and access for swimming, and the area has great potential for camping. Above the Falls, the West Fork of the Hood provides an opportunity for

The most common way to access a river is where a public road crosses it. Paddlers often find themselves squeezing down the narrow easement that typically exists between a bridge and private land. It turns out that in California, the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is required to fully consider and report on whether it is feasible to provide public river access when they build a new state highway bridge over a river (see California Streets and Highways Code section 84.5;

The Trust for Public Land last week announced the purchase of a critical 80-acre private property in the heart of the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, Idaho. This land will be added to the Frank Church and made available for all to enjoy as unspoiled wilderness. The Trust for Public Land worked with the landowners and the U.S. Forest Service to protect a portion of the Morgan Ranch, a private homestead dating

The July/August issue of the AW Journal includes American Whitewater’s 2011 Annual Report . Our index now provides direct links to each article. this issue includes. . . Mission Unaccomplished From Dreams to Reality Solo Boating: Cataract Canyon A Selway Story Adventures on the Little River Teaching without Speaking . . .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

American Whitewater is pleased to announce Chris Cardoni as our July 2012 Volunteer of the Month! Chris has been a rockstar volunteer at AW's Deerfield Fest for the past several years. Most recently he's run the Silient Auction for us for the whole day and evening. Moreover, Chris shows up each Sunday morning after the fest to help us clean up the field, the mark of a dedicated volunteer! Add this to his fun and friendly demeanor the whole time and

  Each summer, American Whitewater takes a look back at the previous year and distills the organization's projects, supporters and financial information – plus much more – into one document, our Annual Report. The 2011 American Whitewater Annual Report is now available for your review.   A couple high points from the report: 1) In 2011, American Whitewater focused on adding capacity to our highly effective river stewardship program by hiring additional staff to support critical projects in Colorado and