Forest Service and American Whitewater

American Whitewater has enjoyed working closely with the Forest Service (USFS) on a wide variety of river-related projects during the 1990's. As we enter the new Millennium, we look forward to increasing our cooperation with this agency and finding more ways to work together on issues of both national and regional significance. We are particularly excited over the development of the Forest Service's Roadless Policy, and the Forest Service's commitment to working on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hydropower relicensing.

At present, the two primary areas of contention between the Forest Service and whitewater boating community are in the management of the Kern River in southern California and the Chattooga River on the border of South Carolina and Georgia.

Kern: The problem on the Kern, is that the Forest Service is using an outmoded permit system to hyper-regulate the boating community in a way that exceeds visitor management in other Forest Service units. Additionally boater fees are subsidizing other forest visitors. The problems here stem from an unresponsive Forest Supervisor that has neglected public opinion and comment, the agency's own staff recommendations, and common sense. For several years, we have had discussions with the USFS concerning problems with the existing permit system controlling whitewater paddling on the North Fork of the Kern River, from the confluence with the Little Kern River to the Johnsondale Bridge (the "Forks of the Kern" section). Since this Wild & Scenic stretch of river borders the Sequoia National Forest, we feel comments on the permit system are appropriate in response to the scoping letter. As a result, American Whitewater recommended in July 2001 that the Kern river management be incorporated into the new Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (FLRMP) for the Sequoia National Forest. More Information

Chattooga: The problem on the Chattooga is that the agency is drafting a new river management plan called Amendment 14. This amendment fails to acknowledge public interest in reopening the headwaters of the Chattooga to the public, suggests increases in commercial use, suggests reductions in the public's non-commercial access, and fails to address water quality issues on Stekoa Creek and in the headwaters. More information.