Notice: Web Users Will Need to Reset Passwords
05/15/2025 - by Kevin Colburn
Heads up that American Whitewater is going to be updating our website on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Website users will be logged out of the site by this update and will be prompted to reset your password to log back into the site. Simply follow the steps for resetting your password and log back in. You will need to know the email address that you’ve been using to log into the site. If you are not sure what email address you use, you can check here prior to Tuesday to view your email address. If you have trouble, you can contact us at info@americanwhitewater.org. The site update will not result in changes to the website except for how you log in and change your personal information on the site. The update is needed to support upcoming changes to the website and the apps that will benefit our users. We appreciate your patience with us as we try to improve the web user experience at American Whitewater.
American Whitewater Releases New River Guide App!
05/15/2025 - by Kevin Colburn
American Whitewater is excited to announce the release of our new mobile app, available for both ios and android devices! The new American Whitewater app shares crowdsourced information on over 6,000 whitewater runs, including easy driving directions, improved flow information, maps, descriptions, and photos. The new app is a volunteer-led project supported by American Whitewater staff and contractors. We hope you love it, and that it inspires you to explore our nation’s many awesome rivers and contribute to the app.
Stand Up for River Access in Colorado!
05/15/2025 - by Kestrel Kunz
American Whitewater needs your help to secure the right to float in Colorado. Many people are not aware that there is no secured legal right to float, fish, boat, portage, or swim Colorado’s rivers and creeks that run through private property. American Whitewater has helped reduce conflict and secure landowner agreements where possible, for example access to the Cheeseman Gorge or supporting access easements on the Upper Colorado. Despite these site specific solutions, every year we get calls from boaters that they have been confronted by landowners or the local police, threatened with firearms, entrapped in barbed wire, or otherwise threatened. We want to know if this has happened to you and any incidents involving conflicts on the river will be critical to the success of our campaign. With a rapidly growing population in the state and new ownership of river front property, the status quo is not sustainable and it is time to secure permanent, legal public access to Colorado’s rivers for all.
California 2025 Recreational Releases Reminder & Updates
05/14/2025 - by Theresa Lorejo-Simsiman
American Whitewater and California boaters are victims of our own success. As a result of over two decades of work from stewardship staff and dedicated community volunteers, negotiated recreational flows from hydropower projects abound in water years like 2025. It definitely can fill up your paddling calendar! Here are date reminders and updates for the California Wild & Scenic Mokelumne River, South Fork Silver Creek, North Fork Feather, and the Pit River.
Congress Thinks You Don’t Care About Public Lands and Rivers
05/14/2025 - by Evan Stafford
Last week, the US House Natural Resources Committee passed a budget-related bill that–if it becomes law–will sell off significant public lands and weaken our collective ability to have a say in public land management in unprecedented ways. This legislation will go through one more committee and merge with other bills to become one huge bill that can pass with a simple majority vote in the Senate through a process called reconciliation. Boaters are encouraged to speak up (and can do so easily right now using our action form) in support of public lands and waters, and our ability to participate in their management.
Volunteers needed: Help keep Mokelumne Big Bar Launch open! (CA)
05/14/2025 - by Theresa Lorejo-Simsiman
The Bureau of Land Management’s Big Bar Launch facility off of Highway 49 is the only legal boating takeout for the Electra Run on the California Wild & Scenic Mokelumne River. Due to circumstances beyond the BLM Mother Lode Field Office’s control, BLM recently announced the closure of Big Bar to vehicles through October 15 of this year (you can still walk in, but parking nearby is very limited).
American Whitewater is looking for volunteers to help BLM keep this crucial access open.
Senator Murray & Representative Randall Reintroduce Wild Olympics Bill (WA)
05/13/2025 - by Thomas O'Keefe
Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Representative Emily Randall (D-WA-06) reintroduced the Wild Olympics Wilderness & Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, legislation that would permanently protect more than 126,500 acres of Olympic National Forest as wilderness and 19 rivers and their major tributaries—a total of 464 river miles—as Wild and Scenic Rivers. Designed through extensive community input to conserve ancient forests and pristine rivers, protect clean water and salmon habitat, and enhance outdoor recreation, the legislation would set aside the first new wilderness on Olympic National Forest in over four decades and the first-ever protected wild and scenic rivers on the Olympic Peninsula. With a strong foundation of overwhelming local support, the bill has made steady progress each successive Congress—passing the House with bipartisan support twice before and passing out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last Congress for the first time in the bill’s history.
Defending the Clean Water Act in the Northeast
05/13/2025 - by Robert Nasdor
With ongoing efforts to weaken federal environmental safeguards, American Whitewater and its partners from throughout the Northeast are defending the Clean Water Act in state legal challenges to hydropower dam permits. American Whitewater is challenging state water quality certification of hydropower dams in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. State certification that hydropower dams meet water quality standards is required before the dams are licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Looking ahead, American Whitewater expects to focus more advocacy efforts on states to protect rivers through the Clean Water Act and other state environmental laws.
Access to a Renewed Klamath River (OR/CA)
05/12/2025 - by Thomas O'Keefe
With the removal of four Klamath River dams, 45 miles of restored river are now open to boating. While several new access sites will open beginning May 15, 2025, most remain under construction or have limited hours. Boaters should check current site status and respect all closures and guidelines to help protect sensitive natural and cultural resources and to ensure continued access to the river for all.
San Joaquin Horseshoe Bend Recreational Flow Forecast for 2025 (CA)
05/08/2025 - by Theresa Lorejo-Simsiman
American Whitewater is excited to announce the 2025 forecast for recreational flows on the San Joaquin Horseshoe Bend reach. Southern California Edison (SCE) is providing boatable flows for a spill year and these flows are forecasted to begin on Friday, 5/16/2025 and last through Sunday, 5/18/2025. These flows are provided under the Big Creek 4 Hydropower Project Long-Term Operating Rules (LTOR).
Photo by Paul Martzen
New Mexico’s Rivers get Another Chance in Congress!
04/25/2025 - by Kestrel Kunz
On April 18th, bill champions Senator Heinrich and Representative Vasquez reintroduced the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act. The bill, reintroduced for the 4th time since 2020, is set to protect nearly 450 miles in the Gila and San Francisco watersheds in southwest New Mexico. Last month, we traveled to Washington D.C. to thank the New Mexico delegation for their continued dedication to protecting New Mexico’s last remaining free-flowing rivers and to discuss bill reintroduction. Please join us in celebrating this milestone for New Mexico and the hard work put in by Senator Heinrich and Representative Vasquez to protect the greater Gila River watershed for future generations!
Lawmakers Pull Back Bad Bridge Access Legislation in NC
04/22/2025 - by Kevin Colburn
Earlier this year, North Carolina legislators introduced a bill that would have made using public bridges over rivers as put-ins and take-outs illegal. Thankfully, the language criminalizing river access was recently removed from the bill, SB 220, and is no longer a threat. We’d like to thank the many boaters that reached out to your state legislators on this issue, and the legislators that changed course. Boater outreach helped inform the legislature to step back from a bill that would have had major consequences.
Extended South Yuba (CA) Flows Continue
04/15/2025 - by Jeff Venturino
Flows on the South Yuba River (CA) will continue to be closer to natural flows for a second year as Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) works to repair diversion and hydropower infrastructure connected to Lake Spaulding. Although PG&E typically makes deliveries to water users below Lake Spaulding through its powerhouses and low-level outlets, repair delays continue to prevent them from diverting water. While there are clear negative impacts to irrigators and other downstream water users, domestic water supply should not be impacted. Sections that will likely run later than usual again include Yuba Gap, Golden Quartz, Washington to Edwards, Edwards to Purdons, Purdons to 49, and 49 to Bridgeport.
Accident Summary for July–December 2024: Available online now
04/15/2025 - by Evan Stafford
Limited Edition River Inspired AW Gear–Only Available Until April 20!
04/15/2025 - by Evan Stafford
Show your support for American Whitewater with limited edition river inspired gear! American Whitewater has partnered again with FLOAT to bring you these tees, tanks, and hoodies, but only for a limited time! Celebrate the beauty of rivers and that ever important ingredient–flowing water! Purchasing these items directly supports American Whitewater’s stewardship efforts! We have several t-shirt and hoodie styles available and for every item sold FLOAT donates $8 to our program protecting, restoring and ensuring safe access and enjoyment of our rivers. Head on over to FLOAT and SHOP today–lots of fun colors and styles to choose from. Don't delay. . . this offer is only available this week and expires on Sunday, April 20th!
Klickitat River Hatchery River Access Closure (WA)
04/10/2025 - by Thomas O'Keefe
Major upgrades are currently underway to modernize the 75-year-old Klickitat Hatchery in southern Washington state, funded by a $35 million project from the Bonneville Power Administration. The hatchery is closed to the public during this time, including parking, all river access, and portage around the low-head dam at the hatchery. Due to the closure, boating from Parrots Crossing to Summit Creek or Leidl is not recommended, particularly due to hazards associated with the low-head dam. Experienced boaters familiar with the area may have the ability to navigate this stretch at appropriate flow levels, either running the dam or portaging below the ordinary high water mark. If you are unfamiliar or uncertain about navigating this route safely, we advise that you avoid attempting this run during the 2025 and 2026 boating seasons.
Boat passage at Poudre River Diversion Dam (CO) Moves Forward
04/10/2025 - by Evan Stafford
After multiple years of advocacy by American Whitewater, the local outfitting community led by Rocky Mountain Adventures, and our nonprofit partners, the City of Fort Collins has agreed to improvements that will allow for boat and fish passage at the Gateway Diversion Dam in the lower Cache la Poudre River canyon. These dam modifications will restore aquatic connectivity and nearly double the length of the Filter Plant run, one of the river’s most popular reaches and one of the few true quality beginner whitewater runs in the area.
Southeast Rivers 6 Months After Hurricane Helene
04/10/2025 - by Kevin Colburn
It’s been a busy and often hard time in Western North Carolina in the six months since Hurricane Helene. While many rivers in the region were unaffected by the storm, American Whitewater and many other groups and individuals have been working hard on the more impacted rivers. This article offers a quick run-down of some of what we’ve been up to and where things stand on rivers including the Nolichucky, Pigeon, French Broad, and Green.
Support the West Virginia Bridge Access Bill
04/10/2025 - by Kevin Colburn
The West Virginia Public Waterway Access Act would require that significant bridge construction projects include river access if it is safe and practical to do so. This common-sense bill would efficiently protect and improve river access across the state over time, and would benefit countless communities by providing simple close-to home paddling and fishing opportunities. In a state where boating is big business, this proposed law makes a ton of sense. If you live in WV, reach out to your legislators (house and senate) and share your support for Senate Bill 801, the West Virginia Waterway Access Act.
Opportunity to Comment on Need for Improved Access to Row River (OR)
04/04/2025 - by Thomas O'Keefe
The Army Corps of Engineers is currently updating their Master Plan for Cottage Grove and Dorena Lakes in the Willamette River Basin, Lane County, Oregon, and American Whitewater is encouraging the local paddling community to provide comments on the need for parking for day use and a trail to the river that is accessible to the public for hand-carry craft during the winter paddling season. This Master Plan identifies Future Management Needs for Recreation and references a need to “improve Row River public access” at Schwarz Campground, but provides no details on who this would serve or how it might be implemented.