Gauley Fest News! 2025 theme unveiled and more!
08/14/2025 - by Bethany Overfield
We’re looking forward to one of the greatest costume parties of all time this year at Gauley Fest, in Summersville West Virginia! The event, which starts on September 18th and concludes on September 21st, will showcase a Bridal Party Theme. Attendees will have a chance to renew their vows to American Whitewater with membership support and receive a commemorative token. Whether you choose to dress up as a bride, groom, wedding officiant, flower girl/boy, or a bridesmaid/groomsman, you’ll be in the running to win our costume party on Saturday night. We’re excited to see you all show up rocking those 70s tuxedos and wedding dresses!
Online tickets sales for the event are now available online.
We’re still looking for volunteers to put on the biggest whitewater festival in all the lands.
Finally, we still have a little space left in our Vendor Marketplace to showcase your business or organization. If you’re interested in vending, head here to learn more and register.
Support Shoshone Permanency
08/14/2025 - by Hattie Johnson
If you’ve driven I-70 through western Colorado, you’ve likely driven by the Shoshone dam and powerhouse in the depths of Glenwood Canyon. Unless you have stopped to boat the Colorado there - and I hope you have! - you would likely miss the over hundred year old structures tucked in the canyon walls. But that small hydropower operation holds the largest and oldest water rights that keep the Colorado River flowing throughout most of the year from Kremmling to the Glenwood Springs. Because of this, American Whitewater has been a proud supporter of the Shoshone Water Right Preservation Coalition. Preserving the streamflow created by the Shoshone water rights creates massive benefits upstream and downstream for Colorado’s recreation, environment, communities, and water users across the state, especially in light of a hotter and drier future.
Gore Fest 2025
08/14/2025 - by Hattie Johnson
After eight years of hosting Gore Fest, American Whitewater is excited to announce we fully passed the festival off to the incredibly capable hands of the folks at Whitewater Racing LLC. We will be out there at our tent, so please still come and stop by and renew your membership or join for the first time! Click on read more for all the details about this year’s festival taking place at the Pumphouse Rec area from Aug 21st -24th (Thursday evening till Sunday morning).
New Wild and Scenic River Legislation for Montana!
08/13/2025 - by Kevin Colburn
On August 1st, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke introduced the Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement and Tourism Act, legislation that would designate nearly 100 miles of the Madison and Gallatin Rivers and select tributaries as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Congressman Zinke worked closely with local stakeholders, including county commissioners, conservation groups, including American Whitewater, local outfitters, private landowners, and Northwestern Energy, to draft the legislation.
Illegal Mine that Ravaged the Nolichucky Put-In Blocked By Courts
08/13/2025 - by Kevin Colburn
Boaters once began their trips down the Nolichucky River Gorge at a US Forest Service access site in the bucolic community of Poplar, NC and floated seamlessly into the natural scenery and big mountains that buttress the Gorge. Never again though. To supply rock to CSX for their railroad reconstruction in the gorge, a company called Horizon 30 LLC cut into the mountain at the gorge’s start and opened what would become a jarring 50-acre quarry. They had no permits. The state of North Carolina ordered them to stop mining three times this spring and summer. The company refused. The State took the company to court, and earlier this week, they won.
Submit Your Best to the 2026 American Whitewater Calendar!
08/12/2025 - by Evan Stafford
Show off your best images to the entire community by submitting photos for inclusion in the 2025 American Whitewater calendar 📷💥📸 If your image is selected for the calendar, you'll receive a free copy of the finished product! If your photo doesn't make it into the calendar, we'll hang on to it and consider it for inclusion in one of our other popular publications, like the annual impact report, our Journal, or other print and online uses intended to highlight our river stewardship work across the country. Submit your images today at the link in the comments, it's super easy! Images that feature current, past, or future American Whitewater projects, and images that represent a diversity in season, craft type, river trip length, river difficulty, and/or geography, will be given the highest consideration, but all compelling photos will be considered. Thank you!
Legacy Giving is Easy with Our Free Make-A-Will Program
08/12/2025 - by Clinton Begley
Legacy giving through the Enduring Rivers Circle is more than philanthropy—it’s gratitude in action. You can leave a lasting legacy to the special places that made a difference in your life by joining the Enduring Rivers Circle, our program that honors people who include American Whitewater in their estate plans—ensuring river stewardship continues for generations to come. American Whitewater offers flexibility in how you include a gift in your legacy and you can use our free make-a-will portal through FreeWill or work with your own attorney and advisors.
Emily Jackson and Nick Troutman reflect a shared ethos among paddlers who give back:
"Nick and I met on the banks of a river. Like many of our close friends, the river has been a source of connection—not only to others, but to where we feel the most ourselves. Knowing how powerful the rivers have been in shaping our lives, and how much joy they bring on a daily basis, we wanted to ensure the opportunity would be available for future generations. When we saw that American Whitewater had access to a FreeWill portal, and how easy it was to set up, it was a no brainer to not only use this platform, but leave a small gift to AW. If you're like us and want something simple, easy and incredibly impactful—use FreeWill and give back to amazing organizations like AW!"
To make a bequest, beneficiary gift, trust, or non-cash asset estate plan, click "Read More" below or, if you need further help getting started, contact Bethany Overfield at bethany@americanwhitewater.org or 1-877-748-3777.
All Klamath River Accesses Now Open Along Undammed Reaches (OR/CA)
08/01/2025 - by Thomas O'Keefe & Scott Harding
With four dams removed, five new access sites completed, and all existing access points open, the 45 miles of newly restored river between Keno and the former Iron Gate Dam offer exciting new opportunities for boating—and are now more accessible than ever.
But before heading to the river, it’s important to know the specific use guidelines at each access site. Read on and check out our new map to learn more about each access and how to be a respectful visitor to this remarkable, newly undammed stretch of the Klamath.
Administration to Strip Protections From 58 Million Acres of Backcountry Forest
07/08/2025 - by Kevin Colburn
The Trump Administration has announced that they will rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which has protected popular backcountry recreation destinations spanning nearly 60 million acres of Forest Service lands across the country since 2001. The result of this action, if successful, would open remote landscapes valued for backcountry recreation to road building and logging. The announcement is anticipated to kick off a formal rule-making process that will include opportunities for the public to speak up for these important areas. In advance of this action, you can make your voice heard with Members of Congress by supporting the Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2025.
Community Proposes Post-Hurricane Plan for Rocky Broad River (NC)
06/12/2025 - by Kevin Colburn
Flooding caused by Hurricane Helene largely destroyed the town of Chimney Rock and the Rocky Broad River as we knew it. The river grew to fill the entire valley with a torrent, and the storm left behind a greatly widened river often lacking a clear channel and with massive carved out banks. Shortly after the storm, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) built a temporary road through the gorge that is often in the middle of the river channel. Now, as the community seeks to rebuild, they have come together with a draft plan to create a river park through town that features a trail, whitewater features and pools, and green space. With a little effort by NCDOT to leave the river in good shape, and in combination with the river park downstream, the Rocky Broad could once again be a beloved staple of the Western North Carolina boating community. Explore the new plan and learn more in this article!
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.
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.
2025 Southeast Advanced Release Schedule
12/18/2024 - 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. Below are the 2023 dates for the Class IV/V Cheoah, Nantahala Cascades & Upper, West Fork Tuck, and Tallulah rivers. Also 2025 marks the third year of releases on the Great Falls of the Catawba! Thankfully, none of these rivers were significantly affected by Hurricane Helene.
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!
Black Canyon Put-In Closed for 2021 Season (CO)
04/06/2021 - by Kestrel Kunz
The National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation announced this week that the East Portal Road which serves as the put-in for the Black Canyon section of the Gunnison River will be closed for maintenance for the duration of the 2021 season. While the road closure is an unfortunate obstacle for many this season, the needed maintenance of the road will lead to fewer unexpected road closures due to rockfall and will improve access to the Black Canyon for the long term. American Whitewater will track the status of the road closure and we will share an update as soon as access to the Black Canyon is reopened.
Train Operations in Eagle and Arkansas Corridors to Require Full Review (CO)
03/25/2021 - by Kestrel Kunz
This morning, the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) made a much-anticipated decision on the revival of the Tennessee Pass Rail Line - a 160-mile rail line that follows the Eagle and Arkansas Rivers between Sage and Parkdale, Colorado. The STB formally rejected Colorado, Midland and Pacific Railway’s (CMPR) request to be exempt from oversight and regulation of their proposed operation on the line, which would be leased under an agreement with Union Pacific. This decision comes nearly three months after CMPR filed a notice of exemption on December 31, 2020, as people were bringing in the new year.
Help Protect Colorado’s Western Slope Rivers this Valentine’s Day
02/09/2021 - by Kestrel Kunz
American Whitewater is asking the paddling community to step up this Valentine’s Day to help protect rivers like the Taylor, Oh-Be-Joyful, and San Miguel rivers in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) in Colorado. This Valentine’s Day and for the whole month of February we are collecting LOVE LETTERS from you to your favorite river in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre National Forests. We want to hear directly from you about why you love these rivers and why they are worth protecting. We have made this easy-to-use form to submit your letter to us!