Want to know what river advocacy group American Whitewater has been up to recently, helping protect the rivers we all love? The list is as long as the Grand Canyon itself, distilled into the following Clif Notes. And they can always use your support via donations and making your voice heard…(Lead-in photo courtesy AJ Frank)
West Canada Creek (NY) Call to Action
A recent boating study demonstrated that the Prospect Gorge of West Canada Creek in New York, including the grandeur of Prospect Falls, is a hidden gem of the Adirondacks, yet has been off limits to the public for over 100 years due to the dam owner’s prohibition. American Whitewater has been working to restore open public access and aesthetic flows at Prospect Falls and Trenton Falls, plus scheduled boating opportunities in Prospect Gorge and on the river below Trenton Falls Gorge. Meanwhile, Erie Boulevard Hydropower (a subsidiary of Brookfield Renewable Power) filed a Settlement Agreement with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation that continues to bar the public from the river and they now seek to incorporate those settlement provisions into a new 40-year license for the project. Elected officials must hear from the public on this issue now. Without immediate action, waterfalls and gorges in West Canada Creek will remain locked away and silenced. We’ve made it super simple to send a message with our easy-action form. The deadline to comment is April 18.
Protect 500 California River Miles Today!
American Whitewater along with members of the California Hydropower Reform Coalition are inching closer to a crucial vote that will protect 500 river miles across California. The state’s rivers are in the crosshairs of a Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) application to transfer all 22 hydropower projects including 62 powerhouses, 97 reservoirs, 72 diversions, 167 dams, and 400 miles of water conveyance systems to a separate subsidiary, Pacific Generation LLC. American Whitewater encourages the paddling community to submit comments favoring the denial of this application to protect many of our outstanding whitewater reaches found 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. Comments are due before April 18.
Help Protect California Rivers Now!
West Slope Rivers and Creeks Protected from Mining! (CO)
On April 3, the Biden Administration finalized a 20-year mineral withdrawal for the Thompson Divide and Mt. Emmons area between Crested Butte and Carbondale. The mineral withdrawal will protect beloved Colorado whitewater rivers and creeks, including Oh-Be-Joyful, the Slate River, Ruby Fork of the Anthracite, Anthracite Creek, and the Crystal and Roaring Fork river watersheds. More work needs to be done to protect this landscape permanently, but for now we can celebrate and thank the administration for prioritizing this area.
New Initiative to Remove Deadbeat Dams
American Whitewater today launched a new project aimed at removing deadbeat dams from our nation’s rivers. With an increasing number of hydropower dams crumbling and being abandoned by their owners, the project seeks to require dam owners to remove these dams and restore our rivers for the fish and people that use and enjoy them. This initiative will focus on utilizing legal challenges to force the removal of these dams which no longer serve their purpose and present a significant hazard to the public.
Boating Flow Study and Notifications NF Kern River (CA)
Boating Flow Study and Notifications NF Kern River (CA)Southern California Edison (SCE) is currently in the process of relicensing the Kern River #3 hydropower project. Information is being gathered through a series of studies to inform final license conditions and measures that will include recreational flows. SCE’s Whitewater Boating Study is being conducted on the following sections of the North Fork Kern below Fairview Dam: Sidewinder/Bombs Away, Fairview, Chamise Gorge, Salmon Falls, Goldge Ledge, Thunder Run, Cable, and the Licky Split. This spring SCE will be modifying the flows in the river to gather more information on flows targeted between 200 cfs and 800 cfs.
Wells River (VT) Whitewater Access to be Improved Under New FERC License
A new hydropower license for the Newbury Hydroelectric Project on the Wells River in Vermont requires access improvements that American Whitewater advocated for. Home to the Wells River Rumble, the new access will greatly improve the current boater take-out – a steep, narrow, poison ivy covered goat path.
Powerhouse Outage Adds to Spring Flows on South Yuba (CA)
The South Yuba River will soon experience spring runoff season, and we have received news there is a Pacific Gas & Electric powerhouse outage on the South Yuba. PG&E discovered a leak in their Spaulding 1 Powerhouse below Lake Spaulding that required them to shut it down. Unfortunately, the failure creates a critical water supply issue for Nevada Irrigation District (NID) and could seriously impact NID customers and irrigators. Nevertheless, American Whitewater is informing the paddling community that the powerhouse outage will increase the volume and duration of spring flows on the South Yuba including Yuba Gap, Washington to Edwards, Edwards to Purdons, Purdons to Bridgeport, and 49 to Bridgeport.
Dockside Podcast Features River Topics in 3 Part Series
Give a listen to whitewater legends Julie Munger, Sean Norman and Charlie Walbridge discussing river safety on the Dockside Podcast, part 2 of a 3 part series in partnership with American Whitewater.
Limited Edition Life Vests Celebrate Dam Removals on Klamath River, Support American Whitewater
The limited-edition Hustle and HustleR life vests feature beautiful watercolor art from whitewater paddler & river advocate, Hailey Thompson – @WatercolorWoods. A portion of the profits from the sales of the Klamath Limited Edition Hustle & HustleR Life Vests will go to American Whitewater & Rios to Rivers to help support their ongoing efforts in dam removal, restoration, and creating a community that understands the importance of free-flowing rivers.
Get Yours Today and Support American Whitewater at the Same Time
Urge Congress to Repair the Clean Water Act
Urge Congress to Repair the Clean Water Act
You might want to tighten those nose clips and buy some earplugs: earlier this year the Supreme Court ruled on a long running legal dispute about which streams and wetlands the Clean Water Act actually protects from pollution – and it’s not good. Their decision, which ignored even the most basic science, stripped protections for an estimated 50% of streams and 70% of wetlands that had been protected since the 1970s. Congress is considering a new Clean Water Act bill, that would reverse this ruling and solidify a science based definition for which streams and wetlands are protected under the Act, ensuring that the original intent of the law is preserved. Competing legislation meant to codify the complete dismantling the Clean Water Act, has already passed in the House, so it’s important that we speak up for clean water now, Urge your Congresspeople to support new legislation that protects the integrity of the Clean Water Act by using our easy-action form today!
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