Wells River (VT) Whitewater Access to be Improved under New FERC License
03/28/2024 - by Robert Nasdor
The new hydropower license for the Newbury Hydroelectric Project on the Wells RIver in Vermont requires access impropovements to the whitewater takeout. Home to the Wells River Rumble, the new access will improve the current boater take-out -- a steep, narrow, poison ivy covered goat path.
Public Input Needed for Cataract Canyon and Canyonlands NP (UT)
03/26/2024 - by Hattie Johnson
The confluence of the largest two rivers in the Southwest is a special place. Anyone who has traveled down the Green or Colorado rivers and seen where they join has undoubtedly been moved by these two lifelines in the desert becoming one. This confluence is inside Canyonlands National Park. Right now, there is a public comment period open for the National Park Service’s comprehensive river management for the Green and Colorado rivers. Relevant to this planning process, American Whitewater has been working with partners over the past few years on a durable solution to the serious access issue at the take-out for Cataract Canyon. Use our Every Action form to share your thoughts.
If You Purchased or Received a 2024 American Whitewater Calendar Please Read
03/08/2024 - by Evan Stafford
We need to sincerely apologize. We had a misprint in our 2024 calendars and the month of April is off by one day. April fools on us! We truly do sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this causes and we hope you'll still use our 2024 calendar. Here's a link to an easy to print replacement PDF for the days of April, which can be inserted to make sure you have the correct days in your American Whitewater calendar. We sincerely appreciate your support and understanding, as the calendar is a big fundraiser for us and one of our favorite ways to display the beauty of the rivers we work to protect on your behalf.
Harlequin Duck Surveys on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River (WA)
03/06/2024 - by Evan Stafford
American Whitewater is partnering with Conservation Northwest and the Forest Service on a community-science project to monitor Harlequin ducks on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River. The Middle Fork Snoqualmie and Pratt Rivers were designated Wild and Scenic in 2014 and the Forest Service subsequently developed a Comprehensive River Management Plan that recognizes the outstandingly remarkable values for recreation, fisheries, and wildlife. If you are interested in joining this effort we ask you to Sign Up here.
Opportunity to Stop Mine on Colorado River (CO)
03/06/2024 - by Kestrel Kunz
Last month, we reported on the zombie gravel mine that keeps rearing its head on the Colorado River near Dotsero, CO. With your help, we were able to rally over 900 comment letters to Eagle County elected officials in opposition to the mine. If you were one of the many people that have already written a letter, it will be counted and reviewed by the Commission prior to the March 11 meeting. If you have not written a letter telling Eagle County why this mine is a bad idea for the river and the community, you can still do that right here with American Whitewater's easy-to-use every action form! You can make your comments exponentially more impactful if you can attend the March 11 Eagle County meeting in person to voice your comments directly to the County Commissioners. Click the link to learn more about the in-person meeting and how you can engage!
California 2024 Recreational Releases
03/06/2024 - by Theresa Lorejo-Simsiman
Annually, American Whitewater starts the paddling year by confirming recreational release dates negotiated with hydropower projects across California like those operated by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). Here is what we have on tap so far for 2024. A reminder that all confirmed recreational releases can be viewed on the American Whitewater calendar here. If you would like to be notified of California releases and opportunities on specific watersheds, please fill out our form here.
Crystal River (CO) Wild & Scenic Feasibility Committee Consensus
03/05/2024 - by Hattie Johnson
On leap day, the Crystal River Wild and Scenic and Other Alternatives Feasibility Steering Committee came to consensus on a recommendation to the Town of Marble, Gunnison and Pitkin Counties, and the Colorado River Water Conservation District to protect the Crystal River. Three subcommittees were recommended to continue to implement protection measures discussed by the steering committee over the past year. The subcommittees are based on two river protection options: a state and local approach, employing an intergovernmental agreement between the counties and enhanced instream flows through the state and federal wild and scenic designation. These protection approaches were designed and agreed upon by the steering committee late last year. American Whitewater will lead and facilitate the group discussing Wild and Scenic protections and attend the other committee meetings.
Georgians Ask Your Legislators to Affirm the Right to Float
02/22/2024 - by Kevin Colburn
The Georgia General Assembly is considering legislation that would subtly shift the rights of the public to navigate and otherwise enjoy the state’s rivers. This is the second such bill in as many years, and more legislative action is anticipated on the topic. The legislature is hearing from special interest groups that seek exclusive private rights to Georgia’s rivers, and they also need to hear from the public that is concerned for their basic rights to paddle the state’s rivers. Learn more and take action in this article!
State Legislation Threatens Spring Upper Yough Releases (MD)
02/22/2024 - by Kevin Colburn
New legislation is threatening spring releases on the Upper Youghiogheny, and we encourage Maryland residents to reach out to your state House and Senate legislators to share your concerns. The bill aims to subvert the state permit for the dam that was crafted through a science-based and balanced public process, and deliver benefits to reservoir-side homeowners at the expense of downstream river users. Specifically the bill would require the power company to expand their winter drawdown of the reservoir, jeopardizing spring releases that require a full reservoir.
Idaho and Utah National Forests Block 983 Miles of River Protections
01/11/2024 - by Kevin Colburn
Late last year the US Forest Service released two new national forest management plans that deny protections for a total of 983 miles of streams that they had deemed eligible for Wild and Scenic designation. Federal law and policy requires them to protect these rivers for potential congressional designation, but instead they released the streams from protection. They released the protections to grant themselves greater flexibility to conduct logging and other activities in the river corridors, and for political reasons. American Whitewater filed a formal appeal of the Ashley plan that was denied late last year, and will file an appeal of the Nez Perce Clearwater plan in late January that is likely to meet a similar fate. With almost 1,000 miles of our nation’s finest rivers cued up to lose protection, we are working with our partners in the region to explore all of our options to protect these streams.
2024 Southeast Advanced Release Calendar Announced!
11/20/2023 - by Kevin Colburn
American Whitewater and our affiliate clubs have spent the past 25 years working to restore flows to incredible Southeastern rivers impacted by dams. A lot of our work has focused on releases and access on Class II and III rivers like the lower Nantahala, Tuckasegee, Hiwassee, and Catawba, but we also secured releases in some classic steeper reaches previously dewatered by hydroelectric diversions. Each year we meet with power companies and agencies to schedule future releases, review ongoing ecology studies, and discuss any issues with the release programs. We strive to create a schedule with minimal conflicts to maximize recreational value. In this article you'll find the 2024 dates for the Class IV/V Cheoah, Nantahala Cascades & Upper, West Fork Tuck, and Tallulah rivers.
Index-Galena Road Providing North Fork Skykomish Access Repaired! (WA)
11/06/2023 - by Thomas O'Keefe
Nearly 20 years ago, the Index-Galena Road which provides access to the North Fork Skykomish River sustained heavy damage in a high water event that washed away portions of the road between milepost 6 and 7. The onset of fall rains coincided with the opening of the new road this past weekend and whitewater boaters have been among the first recreational users to get out and enjoy the restored access. We are pleased that the sustained efforts of our members and many partners helped keep this project on track.
PG&E PROPOSAL IMPACTS 500 MILES OF CA RIVERS
10/11/2023 - by Theresa Lorejo-Simsiman
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) operates 22 hydropower projects on 500 river miles across California that American Whitewater has spent nearly 30 years of work to protect and restore. This includes whitewater reaches on the North Fork Feather, the Pit, the McCloud, Butte Creek, Fordyce, the South Yuba, the Bear, the Eel, the Mokelumne, the San Joaquin and the North Fork Kings. Now, in an application before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), PG&E is proposing to transfer all non-nuclear assets including these 22 hydropower projects to a new and separate subsidiary, Pacific Generation LLC (PacGen). American Whitewater, believes that the CPUC should not simply rubber stamp the largest, unprecedented, and “first of its kind” handover of hydropower assets. This asset transfer will impact dam safety and the operation and maintenance of multiple projects that restore ecological and recreational releases to our rivers. We need paddlers to help persuade the CPUC to take heed. Read on to learn more and find out how you can help!
Pit River (CA) Whitewater Boating Opportunities in September & October
09/04/2023 - by Scott Harding
Every late summer and early fall, it’s time for boating on California’s Pit River when the hydropower boating flow releases that American Whitewater has secured come into play. Here’s how it looks this season: there’s more whitewater than usual!
Protection for the Headwaters of the Illinois and North Fork Smith Rivers (OR)
07/27/2023 - by Thomas O'Keefe
We are pleased to report that Representative Val Hoyle, the new representative for Oregon's 4th Congressional District has reintroduced the Southwestern Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act (SOWSPA) as her first piece of conservation legislation. This legislation will permanently protect the headwaters of Southwest Oregon’s outstanding collection of wild rivers—including the National Wild and Scenic Illinois and the National Wild and Scenic North Fork Smith, plus Pistol River and Hunter Creek—from the threat of mining in the headwaters.
Clackamas River Visioning Public Input Opportunity (OR)
06/22/2023 - by Thomas O'Keefe
In 2020, Mt. Hood National Forest and surrounding communities experienced catastrophic wildfire events that damaged recreational sites and transportation assets along the Clackamas River corridor and have impacted visitation to the forest. American Whitewater was invited to join a visioning workshop with Forest Service staff this past week and there will be additional opportunities for public input in the coming week. We encourage the paddling community to participate in developing a future vision for the river corridor.
Local Coalition Celebrates Commission Ruling to Protect Colorado's Waters
09/09/2022 - by Kestrel Kunz
A Big Win for Rivers in the Sierra & Sequoia National Forests (CA)!
07/25/2022 - by Theresa Lorejo-Simsiman
The Sierra and Sequoia National Forests have released final forest land management plans containing protections for 498 miles of rivers found eligible for inclusion into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Since 2013, American Whitewater has been engaged in this forest planning process with the goal of getting California's whitewater resources included in the eligibility inventory and recognized for their outstandingly remarkable values. As a tenet of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, managing agencies like the Forest Service (USFS) provide interim protections for eligible river's free flowing character and outstandingly remarkable values until they can be designated by Congress.
American Whitewater Prevails in Case to Protect the Tuolumne River
06/21/2022 - by Theresa Lorejo-Simsiman
In a case before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, American Whitewater and our allies prevailed to uphold the Clean Water Act in protection of the Tuolumne River. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act which requires that any utility applying for a hydropower license that may discharge pollutants into waters of the United States must receive state certification ensuring the project complies with all state standards for beneficial use, water quality, and anti-degradation of the waterway. The case brought forth by the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts (the Districts) challenged a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) order upholding California’s clean water certification for the Don Pedro and La Grange Hydropower Projects located on the Tuolumne River.
It’s Finally Time to Protect Colorado’s West Slope Rivers!
08/16/2021 - by Kestrel Kunz
Today, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forest Unit announced the much-anticipated release of the Draft Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The Draft Plan materials were released on Friday, August 13, initiating a 90-day review period. The GMUG National Forest is home to gems like Oh-Be-Joyful Creek, the Taylor River, Norwood Canyon on the San Miguel, and numerous others. Many of these rivers are free-flowing and offer outstanding values, including paddling, breathtaking scenery, fish habitat, and profound history and culture. This point in the plan revision process is the most important time for the river community to engage and speak up to protect our beloved West Slope rivers in Colorado!