American Whitewater has a long history of working in the Mid-Atlantic. Our regional conservation and access program is directed towards securing recreational releases from dams and securing public access points to rivers, which would otherwise be lost due to development. Our work on securing releases on the Gauley and Yough (both Upper and Lower) have proven integral to developing regional rural economic strategies and building sustainable commercial markets for eco-tourism opportunities. We are lucky that West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland have fairly strong navigability and public access laws; however we are vigilant for any legislation that would reduce the public right to float. We are also increasingly concerned about the state of water quality in the Mid-Atlantic and the effect of surface mining and extractive mountain top mining removal in which unusable dross is simply pushed into sensitive headwaters streams and creeks.
A generous land donation from a Friendsville resident has put a permanent, convenient takeout for the Upper Yough within paddlers’ reach. This facility will accomodate a growing number of paddlers while eliminating a situation that has been a sore point with local residents for decades. The Town of Friendsville, which stood up for paddlers many times over the last 18 months, is asking for help funding this project. American Whitewater is calling on all Upper Yough paddlers to give back to the town and the river by making donations, big or small, to help develop this access point. See the fundraising page for complete info.
After a second fatality on West Virginia's Upper Blackwater River in just over two years Blackwater Falls State Park is now making it mandatory to sign in at the state park lodge and will ticket any kayakers who do not sign in. First run in 1971 by Joe Monahan, Phil Allender, and Todd Martin, this stretch has become a classic "test piece" for today's high-end creek boaters. Tucker County, which responds to accidents in the drainage, is considering legislation to make anyone requiring help from Search and Rescue responsible for the costs. The State Park has also threatened "drastic actions" if faced with more fatal incidents in the future, possibly eliminating access to the Upper Blackwater from State Park land. AW strongly urges paddlers to cooperate with the park and to exercise extra caution when running the river.
On December 15th, 2011, the owner of Holtwood Dam on the Susquehanna River submitted a whitewater boating plan to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for approval. The plan calls for two new whitewater features to be built immediately downstream of Holtwood Dam along the York County side of the Susquehanna River at the base of a defunct fish ladder. It is anticipated that the construction of the features will occur in 2012, and will be fully operational in 2013.
Paddlers at the swinging footbridge put-in for Goshen Pass on Virginia’s Maury River were recently confronted with a new sign. Starting January 1, 2012, the VA State Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will require a permit to launch there. In fact, anyone accessing a Wildlife Management Area or public fishing lake must purchase an access permit; the cost is $4 daily, $23 annually for both residents and non-residents. Those possessing a valid Virginia hunting, freshwater fishing, or trapping license, or have a current Virginia boat registration will not need to buy one. It’s not yet clear which Virginia rivers are affected, and we need your help. Click ahead for more information.
The National Park Service shares an open letter to boaters regarding what to expect this season on the Gauley River (WV) including the recent acquisition of a parcel of land at upper Swiss that provides a public take-out on the lower Gauley.
John L. Berry, a true whitewater pioneer, died on Aug. 11th. He was 86. Berry was an outstanding
whitewater competitor during the 50's and 60's. He was National C-1 and C-2 Champion and a member
of the first US Whitewater Team in 1961. In 1957 he and his long-time C-2 partner Bob Harrigan
lead the first descent of West Virginia's Cheat Canyon (Shown in the photo) and the New River
Gorge from Thurmond to Fayette Station. In the mid-sixities he led several trips down a pre-dam
Gauley River. He was also a remarkable boat designer. In 1960 he built one of the first
American closed-deck C-1's; in the '70's he created several legendary open canoes. Anyone who
paddles whitewater today owes much to his work.
The PA Bureau of State Parks announces 2011 access guidelines to Ohiopyle Falls.
We now have an updated map of all the Nation's Wild and Scenic Rivers available as a Google Earth layer that complements the data from our National Whitewater River Inventory that is also available in Google Earth.
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