American Whitewater Sues Agencies for Allowing Mining in Nolichucky River

11/18/2024 - by Kevin Colburn

The Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of American Rivers and American Whitewater, sued several federal agencies on Monday, saying the agencies violated federal law by allowing a rail company to mine the Nolichucky River in East Tennessee. Recently CSX Transportation, a major railroad company, began mining the Nolichucky’s riverbed for rock while repairing a rail line that was washed away during Hurricane Helene. Trucking in rock from upland quarries is standard practice and much less destructive. Instead, CSX brought heavy machinery into the Nolichucky River Gorge and began removing rock and fill directly from the riverbed. This dangerous and unnecessary method does irreparable harm to the waterway, hurts local businesses that rely on the river, and increases flooding risks for communities downstream. American Whitewater has worked tirelessly with local paddlers to halt the riverbed mining for several weeks, yet the destruction continues at a rapid rate.

Comment in Support of Whitewater Recreation on the Montreal River (WI/MI)

11/13/2024 - by Thomas O’Keefe

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has provided public notice that they will be reviewing license applications for the Gile Flowage, Saxon Falls, and Superior Falls hydroelectric projects. Their review will impact the future of whitewater opportunities on the West Branch Montreal and Montreal Canyon, including flow management, flow data, and public access. The good news is Northern States Power Company has filed license applications that include accommodations for whitewater recreation. Comments can play a crucial role in documenting the whitewater boating community’s interest in this river and in advocating for accommodations in a future license order. The most effective action our members can take is to provide a brief personal comment—just a paragraph or two—highlighting local support for the river. Click the Read More button below to file your personal comment. Thank You!

American Whitewater Ushers In New Stream Gage Service

11/12/2024 - by Kevin Colburn

American Whitewater is pleased to announce that we’ve replaced our popular stream gage service with a new service that will improve performance for river enthusiasts. American Whitewater’s National Whitewater Inventory (NWI) is the definitive online guide to whitewater rivers in the United States, and dates back to the 1990s. Along with crowdsourced descriptions and images of over 6,000 whitewater runs, the NWI associates most runs with an online flow gauge and depicts whether the runs are low, medium, or high for boating, through color-coded flow ranges. The new gage service is more reliable, affordable, clearly displayed, and easier to maintain and innovate on. 

It’s Time to Support River Access in Colorado!

11/12/2024 - by Kestrel Kunz

It’s that time of year again! Colorado Gives Day and early giving is happening now through December 10! Donate today to have your dollars go even further in supporting American Whitewater’s river access work in Colorado. We use this opportunity every year to raise awareness and financial support for our Colorado River Access Program.  Now more than ever we are working to improve river access sites in Colorado and to secure better policies for the right to float on Colorado’s rivers. 

Georgia Committee Meets Wednesday to Consider Paddling Rights

11/11/2024 - by Kevin Colburn

The House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters will host a final meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 9 a.m. in Newnan Donald W. Nixon Centre for Performing and Visual Arts in Newnan, GA. The committee is charged with making recommendations to the full General Assembly about where Georgians should have the right to boat, fish and hunt on the state’s rivers and streams. If the committee adopts a narrow view of this right as they appear to be considering doing, the public could lose access to almost all whitewater paddling in the state that is not on public lands. Paddlers are encouraged to attend the meeting and contact their legislators to encourage the protection of the long-held public right to paddle rivers in the state.  

Access to a Renewed Klamath River (OR/CA)

11/07/2024 - by Thomas O'Keefe

The four Klamath River hydropower dams have been removed, and this brings new opportunities for boating and experiencing the 45 miles of restored river. Before boating, river users need to learn about the new river reaches and know the current status of access points. We know everyone is eager to get out on the river, however some areas are not ready to receive visitors. It’s incredibly important that the boating community respect these closures and encourage others to help protect the area's natural and cultural resources. 

Don’t Let Railroad Rebuild Destroy the Nolichucky Gorge (Updated X2)

11/06/2024 - by Kevin Colburn

Second Update: The reckless mining of the Nolichucky River's bed and banks continues, despite news yesterday that it would be halted. The Army Corps of Engineers called AW yesterday to let us know that there would be no more mining below the ordinary high water line, but it turns out they did not provide guidance on where that line is, and the riverbed excavation continues with no oversight or regulatory limits. It seems clear that none of the federal agencies are currently willing to direct this project to protect the river while restoring the rail line. 

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One of North Carolina and Tennessee’s best whitewater rivers is facing a man-made disaster rivaling Hurricane Helene in the storm’s aftermath. Right now, dozens of excavators and dump trucks are pushing their way ever-deeper into the Nolichucky River Gorge, removing massive amounts of rock and soil from the river’s bed and banks in an unregulated rush to rebuild the railroad through the Gorge. Located on the Tennessee-North Carolina state line near the hurricane-impacted town of Erwin, TN and Poplar, NC, the Nolichucky Gorge is an economically vital source of river-based tourism and an amenity that attracts and retains residents. 

Canyon Creek Access Temporarily Closed (WA)

10/25/2024 - by Thomas O'Keefe

As the winter paddling season in the Pacific Northwest starts to get underway many eagerly await the opportunities to get out on Canyon Creek in the Lewis River drainage. This past summer the site was heavily vandalized when individuals rolled boulders (used to delineate parking) down the stairs, severely damaging the stair treads and rendering them unsafe for public use. PacifiCorp has the site temporally closed as they work to make repairs and make changes a the site over the coming weeks. The current timeline should have the site open by the Thanksgiving holiday.

Journal Moves to More Sustainable Production Model

10/15/2024 - by Evan Stafford

The new Sept/Oct American Whitewater Journal should be landing in your mailbox soon and you may notice it looks, feels, and maybe even smells a little different. You may also notice a couple of new logos inside this issue’s first few pages. The new look and feel, and these logos, represent our shift to using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper and to producing the Journal in a Pure Power certified facility that uses renewable energy sources. The team that produces the Journal has been eager to move to a more sustainable production model and reduce the environmental impact of the printed Journal. We explored some options and we’re happy to announce we’re now working with Modern Litho, a Pure Power facility, to help us achieve this with FSC-certified paper and the use of BioRenewable vegetable-based inks in their energy-efficient printing facility.

Celebration of Life for Chris Tulley Scheduled for Nov 2

10/10/2024 - by Evan Stafford

American Whitewater Board of Directors member, Chris Tulley, of Folsom, CA, passed away on Friday, October 4th while paddling the South Fork of the Feather River, near La Porte, California. The entire American Whitewater family is deeply saddened by his passing and eternally grateful for his dedication to our organization and river stewardship. Chris was a  longtime contributor to American Whitewater in numerous ways, including in his service as a Board member, as a volunteer working closely with our California staff, and as a lifetime member. We offer our deepest condolences to his family and those closest to him, and also to the team he was paddling with, who made every effort to rescue him. 

Reflections on Loss and Opportunity In Flood Ravaged Western North Carolina

10/09/2024 - by Kevin Colburn

I can still feel the lines in my body.  I close my eyes and I run the Green Narrows in my mind, and my body feels every move. As I think about the rapids, certain muscles tense, like a dog chasing rabbits in its dreams. Following Hurricane Helene, these moves, these currents, these images are now just dreams of a river forever lost. And like a wonderful dream, I want to hold on to it, knowing it's all that is left of the Green Narrows I knew so well. When I multiply my grief by all the rivers in the path of the hurricane, and all the people who have come to know them so well, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the collective loss. 

Forest Service Backs Elimination of Lochsa Area River Protections

10/09/2024 - by Kevin Colburn

The Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest recognized that 88 rivers on the National Forest lands they manage are eligible for Wild and Scenic designation. Normally this would mean the free-flowing nature and special values of these streams would be protected in a new forest management plan. Instead, the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest used a sketchy political process to release 76! of those rivers from protection. American Whitewater and several other groups appealed their decision, and this week our appeal was essentially denied. The appeal decision requires the National Forest to address some logical and factual inconsistencies with how the agency released the rivers, but defends their ability to do so. 

Image: John Webster

Montana Walks Back Proposed Fish Creek Paddling Ban

10/09/2024 - by Kevin Colburn

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (MTFWP) released their final Fish Creek Recreation Strategy earlier this week, in which they no longer propose to ban paddling as they had in their draft plan. We would like to thank MTFWP for listening to the public and eliminating what would have been a major mis-step in the management of the State’s rivers. The final plan does however contain concerning language around paddling, and the public should remain vigilant as the agency implements the plan. Specifically, the final plan states that “FWP will assess recreational floating, user conflicts, and the alteration of [woody debris]” with the goal to “Provide a high-quality wade fishing experience and protect fish habitat,” and based on the principle that, “when feasible, recreation uses will be separated to prevent conflict.” While monitoring and protecting habitat is appreciated, this framework continues to wrongly cast paddling as a threat to other users and habitat. 

New Public Safety Conditions for PG&E’s Kerckhoff Hydroelectric Project (CA)

10/03/2024 - by Dave Steindorf

Last week, state and federal agencies mandated new safety and environmental measures for PG&E’s Kerckhoff Hydroelectric Project on the San Joaquin River (CA), following an advocacy effort by American Whitewater. The new conditions will reduce dangerous water surges and improve river health by requiring coordinated dam operations and natural flow releases. American Whitewater is calling on FERC to implement these safety measures immediately.

Hurricane Helene Update and Resources

10/03/2024 - by Bethany Overfield

Although we are devastated and overwhelmed by the magnitude of the destruction of Hurricane Helene, we are inspired by the resourceful heroes in our communities that are digging-in and finding multitudes of ways to help—scores of folks, many of whom are boaters, are leading the charge in recovery efforts. Our network is uniquely equipped as helpers, and we are grateful. Many people have reached out to ask us how they can help and where to direct funds. There are many wonderful organizations doing deeply impactful work. We’re happy to list a few of the local organizations we know working to address immediate needs in affected communities. This list will change over time as needs shift. A continually updated list will live at the bottom of this article. 

Hurricane Helene Wreaks Havoc on River Community Including American Whitewater

09/30/2024 - by Evan Stafford

Massive flooding, landslides, and wind damage related to Hurricane Helene has put western North Carolina, southeast Tennessee and other parts of the region in crisis, and many in our river loving community, including members of the American Whitewater staff and board have been severely affected. Infrastructure including modes of communication and roads critical to deliveries of essential goods have been destroyed and it may be some time before anything resembling normal business returns to the area. This includes American Whitewater offices and some staff, so please forgive us in advance if we are slow to respond or we can not be reached. 

In the coming days we’ll be sharing ways our community from far and wide can help as those avenues become more clear, and in the meantime we’re sending all the love and healing vibes we can to our friends and family who are feeling the effects of the widespread damage to one of the true homes to American Whitewater, and to one of the longest standing and influential communities of river runners in the country. Our hearts are with you and we’ll be making ourselves available to help in any way that we can.

Georgia Committee Meeting on the Right to Paddle this Friday

09/16/2024 - by Kevin Colburn

A special state House study committee tasked with determining the public's rights to paddle on Georgia’s streams will hear from the public for the first time in a meeting scheduled for Sept. 20 at Unicoi State Park. The meeting could result in recommendations to dramatically curtail the public's right to paddle rivers in Georgia. Friday’s meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the lodge at Unicoi State Park, near Helen, GA. Following a presentation by the Department of Natural Resources, there is time set aside on the agenda for members of the public to provide comments. Paddlers are encouraged to attend the hearing and speak up for your right to paddle the state's rivers. American Whitewater and our partners will be urging lawmakers to preserve existing recreational river uses and protect the public’s ability to float down the state’s many rivers and streams.

Fall 2024 Update on California Whitewater Boating Releases

09/16/2024 - by Scott Harding

American Whitewater is excited to announce several fall 2024 whitewater boating releases in California, including multiple releases on the North Fork Feather, South Fork Feather, and Pit River in September and October. Plus, Feather Fest is coming right up on September 27-29 and we have opportunities for volunteers to help make the event a success! Read on for full details.

American Whitewater Gives Voice to Recreation in Grand Canyon

09/12/2024 - by Kestrel Kunz

In August, American Whitewater staff traveled to the south rim of the Grand Canyon to meet with agency leaders and nonprofit partners to advocate for river recreation in talks about the future of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Protection Act of 1992 established the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program and Work Group. Many of our partners sit on this working group, an advisory committee charged with making recommendations for reservoir management and allocating funding for monitoring and research in the Grand Canyon. We anticipate that the Bureau of Reclamation will release a draft operations plan in late 2024, or early 2025, determining water cuts and potentially only annual water delivery amounts. We have continually pushed to see more granularity in the analysis, so that the public can understand how river flows will be affected on a monthly and daily basis, but it is very likely that Reclamation will punt a more detailed analysis to a subsequent review process known as, the Long-Term Experimental Management Plan. Hit the read more button to learn more about what specifically we advocated for. 

Iron Gate Cofferdam Breached, Klamath River Freed

09/12/2024 - by Evan Stafford

On August 28th, Tribal members gathered alongside government officials and nonprofit partners to cheer as the final cofferdam was breached at Iron Gate reservoir, freeing the Klamath River from Lake Ewauna to the Pacific Ocean. After over two decades of Tribal advocacy, an agreement was reached to remove four hydroelectric dams, Iron Gate, Copco 1 and 2, and JC Boyle, re-opening over 400 miles of the river and tributaries to the legendary salmon runs that have been stifled by these impoundments for over a century. We expect river recreation opportunities to start sometime in 2025, however there are a number of access and other management issues we are working to address before boaters begin to descend the free-flowing river corridor. The Shasta Indian Nation is prepared to welcome people to their lands, but is also still in the process of developing  a management plan for visitor use and a mechanism for funding stewardship of project lands they are set to receive. It’s an honor to participate in the return of ownership to the Tribes of their most spiritual land, and we can not wait to see the reclaiming of the river through the Paddle Tribal Waters students first descent of a free-flowing Klamath!