Articles

Colorado – In consultation with the Lower Dolores Boating Advocates, one of American Whitewater's affiliate club members, a crew from the Dolores Public Lands Office removed willows from the boat ramp at the Gypsum Valley River Access site.  The Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service's "Service First" program coordinated with the Army Corps of Engineers to thin willow overgrowth, remove root balls with a back hoe, improve ramp gradient and spread gravel.  Work wrapped up in early

The Clean Water Act has traditionally applied to all headwater rivers, and is directly responsible for the quality and safety of the water we all enjoy.  Lawsuits over the past few years have left the level of protection afforded many headwater (and whitewater) rivers and streams in question.  Last year the Obama Administration released draft guidance on which streams should be covered by the Clean Water Act.   The new guidance would help remedy this problem by developing a clear protocol

American Whitewater is pleased to announce that we have negotiated a modified flow regime for the Black Canyon of the Bear River in Idaho.  Under the new agreement between AW and the other members of the Ecological Coordination Committee that was set up to implement a 2002 hydropower settlement agreement, PacifiCorp will provide nine scheduled pulse flows between April 1 and June 5 each year for the next three years.  These flows should provide a range of high quality Class

The Northeast's largest whitewater festival and American Whitewater fundraiser, Deerfield Fest, has been scheduled for June 30th, 2012 in Charlemont, MA. Members and Vendors alike should put the event on their calendar and plan on attending. Why The Date Change? Astute paddlers will notice that the date is about a month earlier than in past years. The reason for this change is pretty simple, actually. We want to have a three day release weekend on both the Dryway and Fife Brook

A generous 4 acre land donation from a Friendsville resident has put a permanent, convenient takeout for the Upper Yough within paddlers’ reach.The donated land is in the field on the upstream side of Route 742.This new lot will greatly improve boater parking in town. The current arrangement, with paddlers parking on both sides of busy State Route 742 ,is a source of friction with town residents as well as a real safety concern. Your donations are needed to fully

See Your Name in Print Reading the American Whitewater Journal is good … getting published in it is great! Be the envy of your boating friends by getting a story published in American Whitewater. Deadline for stories on the topics listed below is February 25. At this time, we're looking for stories on any and all of the following: Creeking Back for another issue due to ridiculously low contribution numbers last time on this usually popular topic, Creeking is many

Today, the US Forest Service released their newest proposal regarding how to manage recreation on the Wild and Scenic Upper Chattooga River, where they currently maintain a controversial ban on paddling. The proposal will, if it is implemented, allow more paddling than has been proposed by the Forest Service in prior proposals as soon as March of this year. It will also correct some of the degrading ecological conditions and will employ specific capacities for all visitors. However, like previous proposals,

Jan. 26, 2012 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today signaled the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s intent to issue a new planning rule for America’s 193-million acre National Forest System that seeks to deliver stronger protections for forests, water, and wildlife while supporting the economic vitality of our rural communities, by releasing online a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule. The National Forest System is a haven for outdoor recreationists seeking solace and adventure,

American Whitewater is looking for an oustanding vendor to help us build the next version of our website. We've put together a Request for Proposal (RFP) outlining this project more fully and to help us select an appropriate vendor. All qualified vendors are encouraged to participate. Download the American Whitewater Website RFP Submissions are due by March 12th at midnight ET.

Today, the Columbia Bioregional Education Project (CBEP), joined by several conservation groups including American Whitewater, issued a new economic analysis of Okanogan Public Utility District’s (PUD) proposal to re-start hydropower generation at Enloe Dam on the Similkameen River. The analysis, prepared by Rocky Mountain Econometrics (RME) of Boise, Idaho, concludes that it is not possible for the PUD to sell power from Enloe Dam at or above the cost of producing it, and that the PUD will lose $26 for

We are pleased to report that members of the Oregon congressional delegation including Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with Representatives Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, and Kurt Schrader have introduced legislation (S.2001/H.R.3436) to permanently protect portions of the Rogue River and its surrounding forests. The "Rogue Wilderness Area Expansion Act of 2011" will preserve an economic engine in southwest Oregon that supports local jobs, clean water, wildlife habitat, fishing opportunities, and one of the most spectacular multi-day whitewater trips