Articles

Got a cool whitewater-related love story? Meet that special someone on the river? Nearly breakup teaching your significant other to boat (yikes!)? Whether it’s a cautionary tale of what not to do, or how you met your soulmate, we want you to submit your story and photos for our next edition of the American Whitewater Journal by Nov. 5th. Something tells us this could be a really cool issue!

Come celebrate and defend the Yough!  YOU are invited to the Youghiogheny Defense Party! This event benefits the Yough Defense Fund of the Mountain Watershed Association. Proceeds will help cover legal expenses incurred in challenging the proposed Curry Mine. Date:   Thursday November 18, 2010Place:  Falls City Pub (Wilderness Voyageurs) in OhiopyleTime:   5pm  Doors Open (drinks available)            6pm  Food starts  (heavy Hors d’oeuvres)            7pm  Music (short sets) and events start Party is open to the public !  It is not necessary to RSVP, but

All things must come to an end at some point. Such is the case with the well-known LVM DVD series (announcement). LVM has been a long time supporter of American Whitewater’s river stewardship work and has offered subscriptions at special rates to our members. As such, these AW member-only LVM subscriptions will only be available until Oct. 31st. LVM even donates $8 to AW for each subscription sold! However, you can only take advantage of this deal when you are

Now that the last Upper Yough releases are over its time to recognize a number of people who helped make access to the river work. Friendsville city councilman Jess Whittemore alerted us to various parking problems and the paddling community responded by doing the right thing. People in town noticed! Upstream, this is AW’s 10th year maintaining the Sang Run access, and many people helped out. Kurt Knuth and Bob Spangler each mowed the grass one for month. Paddling tree

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will increase and vary water flows in the Pit River in October to test and calibrate newly installed flow gates on the Pit 4 and Pit 5 dams in eastern Shasta County. Recreationists, anglers, boaters and others in the area are advised that river levels will vary between Monday, Oct. 4 and Tuesday, Oct. 26 in the reaches below the Pit 4 and Pit 5 dams.  PG&E will increase the flows to a maximum

American Whitewater received a letter from Georgia Power notifying us that the fall Tallulah releases are cancelled for 2010.   Back on August 21, a heavy rainfall occurred in Northeast Georgia that resulted in the lake reaching an elevation at which water was flowing over several dam gates. One of the gates broke in this event and the dam is currently under repair. Georgia Power estimates that it will take until the end of the year to complete the repair.

The 20th Annual Feather River Festival will coincide with the Rock Creek/Tobin scheduled releases on Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26, 2010. The fund-raiser event for American Whitewater is hosted by local paddling club, the Chico Paddleheads. The benefit event will be held at "Indian Jim School" campground located two miles upstream from the small town of Tobin and one mile upstream from Tobin Vista. Free camping and ample parking is available. FRIDAY, September 24th: New this year! Chico

Decades ago river outfitters and American Whitewater joined together to protect the Gauley River from hydro development. The success of these business enterprises were one of the key reasons that the river was protected as a National Recreation Area. But with success has come new challenges. Professional guides find the number of kayakers on the Upper Gauley overwhelming at times and kayakers also find the number of rafts intimidating. There can be problems in the larger rapids and miscalculations are

Gauley Fest is American Whitewater’s biggest fundraising event and the largest boater festival in the world. This year’s event was another great success raising a significant amount of money for AW’s river stewardship work. A huge thanks goes out to Subaru for being Gauley Fest’s title sponsor. Subaru has a long history as a favorite shuttle vehicle in the whitewater community, we’re glad they’ve chosen to add to this history via their support for Gauley Fest and American Whitewater. Thanks

On September 9th in Redding California the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (FERC) held a meeting to receive public comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the McCloud/ Pit Hydroelectric project in Northern California.   At this meeting more than a dozen paddlers showed up to tell FERC staff how important the McCloud is to the boating community.    Currently PG&E is required to release a flat line flow of 200 CFS year round.   These flows do not mimick natural flow

The annual Fall release on Piru Creek in Southern California will start September 17th and last about 4 weeks.  Flows will start at 400 cfs, which is an excellent level.  There will be transportation on weekends to move boaters from the parking area near the top of the dam, down to the creek.    Transportation will be available from 9 am to 3 pm on weekends.