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ALPINE LAKES PROTECTION SOCIETY * AMERICAN RIVERS * AMERICAN WHITEWATER * CASCADE CHAPTER SIERRA CLUB * MIDDLE FORK COALITION * NORTH CASCADES CONSERVATION COUNCIL *THE MOUNTAINEERS * THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY * WASHINGTON TRAILS ASSOCIATION * WASHINGTON WILDERNESS COALITION   Supporters of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act (H.R. 1769 / S. 721) celebrated as the legislation moved closer to final passage. The measure, which passed out of the House of Representatives

Your help is critical to passing Colorado’s House Bill 1188 and protecting the general publics right to float. The last time the Colorado General Assembly considered a river access bill was 1996. The bill didn’t even make it to the House floor. Please make sure this precious opportunity to clarify and codify the right to float in Colorado is not squandered.   First, thank Representative Curry and Senator Hodges for sponsoring the bill. The opposition has really turned up the

A research program initiated by the MIT Sloan School of Management (USA) and Copenhagen Business School (Denmark) seeks to study open innovation in sport communities. They want to better understand how whitewater paddlers contribute to the development of the sport and to the development of the whole industry by their innovative ideas and contributions.  Please help by completing their ten minute survey. This survey is about your innovative activities and efforts within the field of whitewater paddling. Researchers want to

Interested in serving on the board of American Whitewater? Please read the call for nominations below: Date:  Spring 2010From:  Norwood Scott, Vice PresidentTo:  All interested and qualified AW members Dear AW Member, American Whitewater is seeking nominations of interested and qualified candidates to serve as a Director beginning next January 1, 2011. We have two open board seats to fill during this nomination cycle. A healthy, vibrant, participatory and functional board of Directors is critical to the long term stability

 On Monday, March 15, 2010, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1188. AW staff and Colorado Whitewater Board Members Dede de Percin, Mark Robbins, and Patrick Tooley testified in support of the bill.  CW President Leslie Tyson and Board Member Ted Dietrich also attended the hearing on behalf of CW and helped coordinate AW and CW’s efforts to support and improve House Bill 1188.  By a 4-3 vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed House Bill 1188.  Equally

Last week American Whitewater sent a letter to the Utah legislature opposing HB 141, a bad stream access bill that is currently under consideration by the Rules Committee.  We are hopeful that the Executive Appropriations Committee will chose not to fund this bill because it is a waste of money in economically tight times.  This action would stop the bill from passing this session.  Calls from paddlers to the Executive Appropriations Committee highlighting the potential impacts of this bill would

Release Dates for April: 3 & 4, 10 & 11     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.

Pick up your very own copy of our super popular 2010 calendar for just $15!   All the photos in this calendar were submitted by our members and fans and we sell the calendars each year to raise funds for our river stewardship projects. We hope you’ll pick one up today!   Swing on over to the calendar page in the AW Store to purchase. Thanks!

The 2010 Ender Club ($100) level t-shirts are in. These shirts can’t be purchased anywhere and are only available to our dedicated members. We hope you’ll consider joining us today!   If you see anyone wearing one of these shirts, make sure you give them a high five for being an awesome river steward.   http://americanwhitewater.org/membership

American Whitewater is pleased to recognize the outstanding volunteer contributions of Patrick Tooley, Ken Ransford, and Jay Kenney this month.   Patrick, Ken, and Jay have served as AW’s expert advisors on River Access in Colorado and have helped develop AW’s analysis and position on Colorado’s House Bill 1188, which seeks to clarify the Right of Navigation in Colorado.   Patrick Tooley, a Denver lawyer and 15 year associate of Colorado Whitewater, has dedicated countless hours to the analysis, interpretation,

This spring, the Colorado Legislature is considering a bill, which helps protect the rights of commercial boaters to float on commercial sections of river, and increases the safety of boaters by decriminalizing incidental contact with private land to portage obstacles. HB -1188 is a good bill, but doesn’t go far enough! American Whitewater, Colorado Whitewater, and our team of advisors need your help to ensure the bill provides safe access and rights of navigation to ALL boaters on EVERY river.

The Mar/Apr issue of the AW Journal features an Intro to Whitewater:   Giving Back  Are You Trying to Kill Your Daughters?  The Mighty Miami  Between Family and Fearless  Youngsters Learning on the Salmon . . .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 with your website user account.   Current members – Read the Intro to Whitewater issue

House Bill 1188 is sitting in the Colorado Senate waiting to be assigned to a Senate committee, we expect that to happen next week. While we are in little bit of a holding pattern in the processes of the State Senate – our battle continues in the field. A couple of Colorado media outlets came out opposed to HB 1188! But we can fight back and let our opinions be heard too. VOTE NOW in the ONLINE POLL – it

A landmark legislative battle is playing out right now in the state of Utah regarding the rights of paddlers to traverse the state’s rivers.  A 2008 court case clarified that existing Utah law supports the public’s right to fish and paddle rivers, including the right to touch the bed and banks.  In response, legislators have sought to pass new laws that redefine the rights of the public. As these bills have progressed, one bill has pulled forward as the most

A landmark legislative battle is playing out right now in the state of Utah regarding the rights of paddlers to traverse the state’s rivers.  A 2008 court case clarified that existing Utah law supports the public’s right to fish and paddle rivers, including the right to touch the bed and banks.  In response, legislators have sought to pass new laws that redefine the rights of the public. As these bills have progressed, one bill has pulled forward as the most

American Whitewater asks that you Contact Colorado’s State Legislators and Urge them to Add Private Boaters to the “River Outfitter Bill”.The Colorado Legislature is considering a bill (House Bill 1188 or the “River Outfitters Bill”), which helps protect the rights of commercial boaters to float on commercial sections of river, and also increases the safety of boaters by decriminalizing incidental contact with land to portage obstacles. HB-1188 is a good bill, but doesn’t go far enough! Navigation and safety should

The Colorado legislature is considering House Bill 10-1188 (HB-1188), legislation that attempts to clarify Colorado’s river access laws.  As written, HB-1188 is limited to commercial outfitters and sections of river that have been commercially rafted.  On Monday, February 8th, the House Judiciary Committee approved an amended version of House Bill 1188 by a 7-3 vote. AW and Colorado Whitewater have contacted the sponsor of HB-1188, Representative Kathleen Curry (I-Gunnison) asking that the Bill be amended to include private boaters.  For