2004 Annual Report

2004 Annual Report 1954 -2004 A half century legacy of “Conserving & Restoring American’s Whitewater Resources” To American Whitewater Members & Friends, 2004 celebrates American Whitewater’s 50th Anniversary, and recreation. and more! Starting as the American White Water Affiliation (AWWA) in 1954, this year we mark a half- During 2004, American Whitewater worked to reverse century of caring about the health and enjoyment of the financial deficit outlined in our 2003 Annual Report. this nation’s whitewater rivers and streams -- a golden We targeted realistic budget projections, tightened fiscal anniversary for all of those involved in successful river oversight, and enacted a plan to eliminate this deficit by conservation, access and safety efforts. the end of 2005. Select highlights include: In celebrating this Anniversary, American Whitewater • Raising overall membership by 2%, and thanks and recognizes all those who have played a increasing our lifetime and affiliated club role in helping us successfully pursue our mission to memberships, as well as increased donations “conserve and restore America’s whitewater resources from ender club and platinum paddlers. and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.” • Increasing revenue through events This Anniversary is not simply the history of one such as a successful 50th Anniversary organization, but the combined efforts of a diverse Gala, Deerfield River Festival, and the 22nd compilation of individuals and groups working annual Gauley River Festival. in concert on a shared vision for rivers. American • Balancing Journal advertising and Whitewater’s role in this hinges, in large part, on the publication costs. effective and generous volunteer advocacy efforts of our • Reorganizing staff responsibilities and members, paddlers, and partners across the nation. consolidating office space. • Hiring Mark Singleton as new Executive Director, I’d like to recognize some of the critical players who starting November 1st. have assisted us over the past 50 years, and who have been especially helpful in the recent history of American By implementing these practices we were able to Whitewater, including 2004: reduce operating expenses significantly without impacting our mission and program goals. We also • As part of American Whitewater’s original implemented a three-year financial plan to restore purpose, our more than 85 Affiliated Paddling American Whitewater’s long-term financial health and Clubs remain a cornerstone of our river sustainability. conservation, access and safety programs. Affiliated clubs allow American Whitewater to be We are confident that we are moving steadily in the effective at the local and to offer involvement with, direction of healthy long-term sustainability. A special and knowledge about, individual river reaches. thank-you to Jason Robertson, who agreed to analyze • Our network of volunteer advocates includes our internal management, make needed changes, and members, Regional Coordinators, StreamKeepers, who stepped-up as American Whitewater’s Interim and hundreds of individual paddlers who Director when we needed him the most. Jason will provide the passion, time, expertise, and financial continue as Managing Director working hand in hand support necessary to address issues on more than with Mark Singleton. 4,000 separate whitewater segments. • River partners help American Whitewater extend Thanks to everyone who helped make this a successful its influence and outcomes beyond recreation and fun 50 years! We look forward to the next 50 and whitewater. We have worked with coalition years and beyond, continuing to make new friends non-profits, agency staff, local businesses and and partners, and restoring and improving even more river communities, individual landowners, and whitewater! other human-powered outdoor users to remove unwanted dams, protect riparian lands, raise Sincerely, public awareness regarding rivers, and set national pro-river policy. • Since the early 1990’s, American Whitewater’s Kevin Lewis professional staff has helped establish and grow President new partnerships, guide and mentor volunteers, and link good science with both river ecology “A half-century of caring about the health and enjoyment of this nation’s whitewater rivers and streams.” PURSUING THE MISSION In 2004 American Whitewater (AW) and its nationwide network of river volunteers, partners and paddlers greatly broadened the tools and strategies used to “Conserve and restore America’s whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.” In addition to improving and restoring river flow, protecting public river access and providing safety education, in 2004 AW was also successful in: • Empowering volunteer and paddler activism • Creating new non-traditional partnerships • Linking good science with recreation & ecology • Protecting Riparian land & removing dams CONSERVING & RESTORING RIVERS During 2004, AW and our river partners and the Upper South Fork American, the Smith volunteers finalized agreements that restore and Carmen sections of Oregon’s McKenzie river flow, study potential future flows, and River, and South Carolina’s Catawba River. protect riparian land affecting more than 204 miles of whitewater rivers. This includes In a process that began in 1998, AW’s 60 miles on California’s Middle & South partnership with River Network, Montana Fork Stanislaus River, eleven miles on North Power, and the Montana Department of Carolina’s Cheoah River and Yellow Creek, Fish and Wildlife was finalized in 2004; the and a combination of more than 30 miles of resulting land swap and sale will protect Class II whitewater on Tennessee’s Hiwassee, 320 acres and an additional eight miles of Clinch, Lower Ocoee, South Holston, and undeveloped riverfront property adjacent Lower Watauga Rivers. AW also signed a to Alberton Gorge on Montana’s Clark settlement assuring basic river protection and Fork River. access provisions on the 20 plus miles affected by the Macomb and Peircefield Hydropower In June, working with the Merrimac Valley Projects on New York’s Salmon and Racquette Paddlers, American Whitewater provided Rivers, as well as a July agreement improving funds and planning to help remove the minimum flows on six miles of the Canada West Henniker Dam on New Hampshire’s Falls and Seboomook sections of northern Contoocook River, and restore a 15 mile Maine’s Penobscot River. free-flowing section of this river. AW is also working with local volunteers on potential Whitewater and flow studies are often the dam removal for Connecticut’s Willimantic first step to restoring rivers. In 2004, AW River; Montana’s Clark Fork River; North completed five separate studies that will lead Carolina’s Tuckaseegee; and South Carolina’s to improved future flows on an additional 60 Twelvemile Creek. AW worked to oppose miles of river currently de-watered by dam a new dam on the Bear River Narrows, and operations. This includes of Montana’s West continued efforts to overturn a decision on Rosebud Creek, California’s Boral section of Washginton’s Nooksack River that determined the Lower Kern and the Ice House reach on dam licensing was not required. Twelve Mile Creek in South Carolina Cheoah River in North Carolina EMPOWERING FUTURE RIVER ADVOCATES AW has found that educated, impassioned, and Coordinators, paddling clubs, interns, and well-supported individuals who spend time individual paddlers and local river interests) enjoying our nation’s rivers make the most offer hope for the changing relationships effective advocates. In addition to effectively between people and the environment, as restoring rivers, our volunteer efforts (over well as meeting present human needs and 1,000 national StreamKeepers, Regional conserving natural systems. The River Stewardship Institute River Stewardship Tool Kit In October 2004, AW presented the first American Whitewater staff has also developed annual River Stewardship Institute (RSI), a River Stewardship Tool Kit that functions a seven-day training program designed to as the curriculum for this course and as provide six individual river advocates with the an enduring online tool for river users tools and skills necessary to make a difference nationwide. The Toolkit will offer online protecting and restoring whitewater rivers in advice, background materials and case studies their region. This first Institute, presented as well as other information on a wide range of by Kokatat and taught by AW senior staff topics including dam relicensing and removal, and national experts on river conservation, water quality reporting, participation in was held on the Klamath River in Northern public processes, and general river ecology, California and provided a quality educational as well as a diverse array of river access issues. experience for a community of nearly a dozen The Toolkit will catalog the institutional participants, teachers, and river experts. knowledge of AW staff and volunteers and will share that knowledge with anyone willing to RSI taught essential river access and work to protect or restore a river in their own conservation skills, including how to: apply back yard. basic ecological and hydrological principles to real life river restoration projects; become During 2004, AW worked with a good number involved in the hydropower relicensing of other volunteers, clubs, advocates and process; utilize existing legal precedents and paddlers, including: mediation techniques to address threats to river access; employ efficient public relation •

Load more