American Whitewater

Conservation and Access: American Whitewaters core mission is the conservation, restoration, and responsible management of whitewater rivers-and 2024 was a year of meaningful impact. We permanently protected 4.25 miles of river frontage along West Virginias Big Sandy Creek and celebrated the historic removal of four dams on Oregons Klamath River, where we ensured public access was integrated into the restoration process. In Colorado, we secured new Forest Service protections for 113 miles of rivers, while in the Southeast we defended the Nolichucky River Gorge from post-hurricane railroad-related damage through both legal and public advocacy. Our team directly improved flows and public access associated with dams on at least 33 rivers nationwide.

We also successfully fought efforts to limit public access to rivers in North Carolina, Montana, and Georgia, preserving the freedom to paddle and explore some of the countrys most treasured waterways. Public Education: Educating and empowering the paddling community is central to our work. American Whitewater serves as the leading source of river stewardship information for paddlers and decision makers alike, with weekly updates on our website featuring news, alerts, and descriptions of nearly 6,000 whitewater runs. We reach over 50,000 people through email newsletters and action alerts, engage 35,000+ followers on social media, and publish a print journal five times a year for our 7,000 members and 80+ affiliate clubs.