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A strong response from the whitewater community has gone a long way towards protecting summer whitewater on the Upper Youghiogheny River. The story started when property owners on the back coves of Deep Creek Lake started pressuring politicians to raise the minimum summer lake leve . This could have eliminated many summer releases! A discussion between the Editor of the Garrett County Republican and Friendsville Town Councilman Jess Whittemore resulted in an editorial that drew an unprecedented 160 supportive letters from paddlers and local businessmen. This set the stage for the October 3 town council meeting in Friendsville, which drew state senators, representatives, and other important figures in Garrett County. Read on to get the latest update!

Maryland's Upper Youghiogheny River is one of the finest expert whitewater runs in the country and one of the few with a predictable summer release schedule. Hundreds of private and commercial paddlers assemble in Friendsville every summer weekend to run the river. Recently a handful of property owners on the back coves of Deep Creek Lake have been pressuring politicians to raise the “lower rule band”, the minimum level for the lake at a given time. This could eliminate 70% of summer releases! Read on to find out how you can stand up for summer whitewater on the Upper Yough.

The Upper Yough release season brings hundreds of paddlers to the small town of Friendsville, MD on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays. The crowded takeout at the Wilderness Voyageurs store and the parking area along Maple Street has been irritating nearby residents for years. Please remember that we are guests of the Town when using this access. Certain activities are offensive to town residents, including 1) Changing clothes in public view, especially between cars and the guard rail. 2) Blocking road traffic with boats or bodies. Please don't walk or place boats in the roadway, even for a short time! 3) Consuming alcoholic beverages in public. There will be an increased police presence in 2010 and citations will be issued to offenders.

Protect access by showing respect for local residents. Be discrete and courteous, and remind your friends to do the same.

Paddlers have been negotiating a new release schedule on Maryland's Upper Youghiogheny River with Brookfield Power and other stakeholders for over one year.  The results have just been released in a new permit for the operation of the Deep Creek Dam.  This year, and for the foreseeable future, paddlers will be treated to upper Yough releases on every Saturday from mid-June through mid-September!