Your voice is needed to help protect and restore the beaches, habitat, and cultural resources on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. For the first time since 1996, federal resource agencies are considering the future operations of Glen Canyon Dam, which will impact flows on the Colorado. Your comments can help shape the alternatives that will be considered in an upcoming Environmental Impact Statement for the operation of the dam. If you love the Grand Canyon, have been lucky enough to do a trip on the Colorado, or hope to experience it one day, your comments are important! They are due Tuesday, January 31^st!

In addition to seeking comments on the management of lands within the Colorado River Valley Field Office, the BLM is also seeking comments on their management of lands within the Kremmling Field Office, which includes the Upper Colorado and other rivers important to whitewater recreation. This draft Resource Management Plan is also a hefty one, and American Whitewater has distilled this one down too, focusing on the issues that are important to you. You can read our dRMP guide and get tips on how to provide meaningful and substantive comments here. The future flows of the Colorado River depend on it!

It's now time to start thinking about multi-day trips for this spring and there are several great opportunities on Western Rivers. Many of these rivers require you to fill out a lottery application and deadlines are coming up. Check out our database of permits and start planning that trip.

The BLM is seeking comments on their management of lands within the Colorado River Valley Field Office, which includes the Upper Colorado and other rivers important to whitewater recreation. The draft Resource Management Plan is hefty, but American Whitewater has distilled it down to the issues that are important to you. You can read our dRMP guide and get tips on how to provide meaningful and substantive comments here. The future flows of the Colorado River depend on it!

American Whitewater recently prepared a report on the streams of the Idaho Panhandle that are eligible for Wild and Scenic designation based at least in part on their regionally or nationally significant recreational values. We have asked the Forest Service to find each of these streams eligible for Wild and Scenic designation and thus grant them interim protection.

The recently finalized report on a pulse flow program on the Black Canyon of the Bear River, located in Southeastern Idaho highlights the role that new water releases are playing in the restoration of the river reach. The report documents positive effects on instream habitat and aquatic insect populations.  American Whitewater is now actively working with other stakeholders to finalize a flow program on the Bear for decades to come. 

Earlier today the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission accepted the surrender of a preliminary permit that could have led to a new hydropower project on Idaho's Little Potlatch Creek. The proposed pump-storage project would have included a dam exceeding 200 feet tall on Little Potlatch Creek. The Little Potlatch will remain free-flowing! 

Colorado River Basin - American Whitewater is asking for paddler input on flows and recreation quality for rivers across the Southwestern United States. We are gathering this information to help define recreational flow-needs, and to inform the US Bureau of Reclamations' Colorado River Basin Supply and Demand Study. Whether you live in Boston, San Francisco, or Jensen, UT, your input will help AW protect healthy rivers - TAKE OUR SURVEY TODAY!

Wyoming/Colorado - Proponents of the 501-mile long pipeline that will send water from the Green River in Wyoming, to Colorado's Front Range, have submitted an Application for a Preliminary Permit with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The project, known as the "Flaming Gorge pipeline," had been under consideration by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for more than two years until the agency canceled it's environmental review. New plans for the pipeline now include hydropower production, requiring FERC to issue the permit.

A large coalition of conservation groups in Colorado, including American Whitewater, have announced their formal opposition to the Regional Watershed Supply Project (aka Flaming Gorge Pipeline). You can join us in protecting the Green and Colorado Rivers by signing our petition. For more information, the coalition is hosting a telephone town hall at 7pm on Wednesday July 27th, in which thousands of citizens are expected to participate in discussing the proposed pipeline and its flaws.

Colorado's backcountry is a human-powered recreation paradise. For paddlers we enjoy great rivers like the Animas or dropping Adrenaline Falls on Lime Creek. Right now the Colorado Roadless Rule that will guide management of these backcountry areas is open for public comment. We encourage all paddlers to weigh in.

Washington DC - American Whitewater and Colorado River Oufitter representatives traveled to Washington DC to meet with Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Department of Interior today.  The Secretary's leadership on water issues in the Colorado River Basin, and opportunities for Public-Private partnerships were among the topics discussed.

Colorado - American Whitewater would like to announce our new part-time program staff in the Dolores River basin - Jay Loschert! Jay will be working with AW's Colorado Program Director to organize the local paddling community and to work with the US Bureau of Reclamation and our stakeholders in the Dolores to improve instream flows below McPhee Dam. Welcome Jay!

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.

Colorado - American Whitewater is conducting a study of flow-recreation relationships for the Yampa Basin, and identifying specific metrics for use in the Watershed Flow Evaluation Tool. This study is intended to inform local, state, and federal planning efforts as to the full range and quality of recreational boating opportunities for the Wild and Scenic suitable Yampa River, as well as the Elk and White Rivers, and their tributaries. Your participation in the flow survey is requested.

American Whitewater is pleased to recognize Ian Foley as our Volunteer of the Month!

Ian invested an immeasurable amount of personal time and resources in coordinating releases on the North Fork of the South Platte River in Colorado. Ian worked closely with staff at the Denver Water Board to provide an additional 300cfs for the first annual Bailey Festival.

Thanks Ian! In recognition of his efforts, Ian will be receiving a custom OuterCore Long-Sleeve Shirt from Kokatat!

Whether you are a Colorado Resident, or someone who travels to Colorado to hit the peak paddling season each year, we need your help to ensure all boaters have safe access on all Colorado rivers.  AW asks that you Contact Colorado's State Legislators and Urge them to Add Private Boaters to the “River Outfitter Bill”.
 

To meet their projected future water needs, Denver Water proposes to develop 18,000 acre-feet per year of new water from the Upper Colorado River basin.  Denver Water's  prefered project, currently being evaluated by the Army Coprs of Engineers (ACOE), includes raising Gross Reservoir on South Boulder Creek in Boulder County to store an additional 72,000 acre-feet of water from the Fraser River and Upper Colorado basin.

AW is evaluating how severely the project will impact paddling opportunities in the Upper Colorado and Boulder Creek drainages.

For more info, attend one of three public hearings announced by the ACOE.

Public Notice - Regional Watershed Supply Project proposed by Million Conservation Resource Group.

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers announces the scoping comment period for the Flaming Gorge/Green River Pumpback has been extended to September 28, 2009.

By the end of September, the Upper Colorado River Stakeholders Group will submit a local resource management plan alternative for the US BLM's Kremmling and Glenwood Springs Field Offices.  American Whitewater has worked for over two years to represent paddlers in the negotiations, ensuring the plan explicitly protects flows that support a range of outstanding boating opportunities in Gore Canyon, Pumphouse, and Glenwood Canyon. The alternative plan crafted by the group seeks to balance permanent protection for recreational values in the Colorado River; water project yield; flexibility for water managers; and certainty for stakeholders.