Today’s guest blog is a part of the America’s Most Endangered Rivers® series highlighting the Smith River in Montana. Our guest blogger is Dave Simon, who was born and raised in Montana, currently lives in Billings, and works from home with a view of the Yellowstone River. He works for Bozeman-based Wisetail, a cloud-based next-generation learning and communication system. Dave enjoys the outdoors, particularly hiking with his yellow Labrador retriever, Kenai, as well as landscape and wildlife photography.
Join us as we celebrate the Smith River in Montana throughout August, and be sure to take action!
This year marked my first Father’s Day since my dad passed away last October, and I spent the day reflecting on the gifts he shared with me over the years. The most important being my love of the outdoors and my respect for Mother Nature. My dad taught me that protecting our rivers and streams is a gift that we give to the next generation, and also is a responsibility we pass on, as it was passed to us.
In one conversation late in his life, I was surprised when my dad told me that he wanted his ashes left by Montana’s Smith River, as I had always assumed that he would want them to be with his parents on our family’s getaway near Red Lodge, Montana.
Bruce | Nick Salter
The Smith River is unique in that it is the state’s only permitted river. This year, more than 8,000 people applied to float it, but only 1,175 were lucky enough to get an opportunity to experience this amazing stretch of classic, Montana water.
While the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks maintains the boat camps along the route and enforces the permit system, 80 percent of the land between the put-in at Camp Baker and the take out at Eden Bridge is privately owned, and those who float this outdoor treasure take great care to respect the land owners’ property. The Smith is more than simply a natural resource: it also generates at least $10 million in the local economy every year through floating and fishing. Unfortunately, despite the strong stewardship ethic that exists here, the Smith was listed as the #4 Most Endangered River in America in 2015 due to the threat to the fishery from a proposed copper mine along Sheep Creek, a major headwaters tributary to the Smith.
![Heaven on Earth [Smith River] | Dave Simon](https://www.americanrivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/080315-heaven-on-earth-cred-Dave-Simon-350x214.jpg)
Heaven on Earth [Smith River] | Dave Simon
The Smith was special to my dad. Every spring he would look forward to four days floating through the towering limestone walls and plying some of the world’s best trout fishing. He would describe the beauty of the canyon, the abundance of wildlife, and the ancient pictographs on the walls. He had done this stretch since the 1980s, and his stories about the trips were abundant – he and his friends often floated in early May, experiencing anything from sunshine and warmth to snow and bitter-cold winds and everything in between. He used to remind me that you could experience each of the four seasons over the course of a single trip.
Camp Baker Fire | Dave Simon
Unfortunately, I was never able to have this experience with my dad while he was alive, but this spring he had left me one final gift – I was able to take his place on the annual Smith trip with his same group of friends. During that expedition, I realized that the trip was special to him not just because of the beauty, the wildlife, or the fishing, but because of the bonds of friendship he made sitting around a campfire. We stayed at places with names like Heaven on Earth and Paradise Bend. These names are apt. During that float, with no connection to the outside world, it truly did feel like paradise. I fell in love with the Smith and I understood why dad would want to be there forever.
Paradise bend, morning | Dave Simon
By asking me to take him down the Smith one last time, I experienced the miles of beauty and made friendships I hope to keep year after year. He passed this tradition on to me, one that I will cherish and protect. The river will always be a way for me to connect with my dad, so each of my days on the Smith will be like Father’s Day.
This post was originally discussing Senate bill S 1236. Currently the House Committee on Energy & Commerce voted to add an amendment [HR 8] that accomplishes the same goals with the same problems.
The hydropower industry is attempting a stunning power grab that would make it difficult– if not impossible– to ensure fish passage and other modern improvements to dams, and would eliminate the authority of states and tribes to negotiate for changes to dam licenses that benefit their communities and local waterways. These changes would upset nearly a century’s worth of balance between the competing users of our nation’s waterways.
Make no mistake: if the hydropower industry is successful, Congress will enact new legislation that would upend the balance that currently exists between dam owners and state and community stakeholders. Instead, hydropower dam owners get primacy over our nation’s rivers. In addition, the legislation being considered by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee would give tremendous new powers to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), a federal energy-permitting agency. In effect, Congress would take power away from state and local agencies that are directly accountable to the public, and give it to an agency that isn’t.
States and tribes should take note. The legislation also creates loopholes that allow hydropower dam operators to avoid having to comply with the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act, leaving downstream communities to bear the costs of resulting environmental damage, including pollution cleanup costs.
Our rivers and river communities will be hurt by this legislation, which would strip states of their power to hold dam owners accountable for pollution and damage to local rivers and economies.
Existing law allows states, natural resource agencies, and tribes to advocate for the needs of local communities and waterways during the dam relicensing process. This proposed legislation weakens or eliminates those authorities, which is why states from Maryland to California oppose it. The legislation is also opposed by the Association of State Fish and Wildlife Agencies, which represents the interests of all 50 states.
Existing law requires FERC staff to follow strict rules when communicating with dam owners. This legislation would allow dam owners to have backroom, off-the-record conversations with FERC officials with minimal disclosure and public notice only after the conversation has taken place.
Existing law allows states and federal natural resource agencies to put license conditions on dams that protect local communities and wildlife. This legislation would allow dam owners to petition FERC to reopen licenses they’ve previously agreed to in order to retroactively alter or cancel conditions requested by states to protect local communities. It places FERC’s judgment about how to protect commercial fishing stocks ahead of that of the National Marine Fisheries Service, and it puts FERC’s judgment about how to protect national parks ahead of that of the National Park Service. Local voices and the needs of local communities have been at the center of water resource decisions since Americans first started negotiating water rights centuries ago. This legislation upends nearly four centuries of water law and precedent by placing FERC’s authority above local communities and states when it comes to protecting water quality.
Existing law is effective in promoting transparency and ensuring balance between stakeholders. In fact, the hydropower industry hasn’t demonstrated or provided any evidence that changes to the law will do anything but consolidate power over the nation’s rivers and streams into their hands, giving them priority over anglers, farmers, boaters, and the families and businesses that depend on healthy rivers and clean water.
Healthy rivers are essential to the health and well-being of our communities. Hydropower dams have major impacts on river health, clean water, and wildlife. For more than 90 years, we’ve been able to achieve balance between healthy rivers and hydropower production because local stakeholders, including states and tribes, have had seats at the decision-making table. The public’s right to enjoy their rivers for recreation, drinking water, agriculture, and their natural beauty is absolutely compatible with responsible electricity production, but balance cannot be achieved unless states, tribes, natural resource agencies, and local communities keep their seats at the table. Congress should act on the bipartisan concerns of states across the nation, and join with the more than 100 conservation and recreation groups in opposing this reckless legislation.
Participants at this week’s HydroVision industry conference in Portland will talk about how hydropower is clean energy, while at the same time members of the National Hydropower Association are pushing federal legislation that would let dam owners avoid complying with critical safeguards for clean water and endangered wildlife.
The so-called “Unlock Hydro” legislation, proposed by Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, wwould roll back protections for fish, wildlife and endangered species, strip states and tribes of their authority to hold hydropower dam owners accountable for water quality violations and make it difficult – if not impossible – to secure fish passage and other dam improvements.
Under existing law, communities can strike a balance between hydropower and healthy rivers. For example, in 2004 Portland General Electric entered into an agreement with the Warm Springs Tribe, anglers and conservation groups to provide significant fish passage improvements on its Deschutes River dams. Today, these dams are still major power producers and, for the first time in 40 years, salmon and steelhead are returning to the Metolius, Crooked, and middle Deschutes rivers. This is just the beginning of the agreement’s implementation and more work needs to be done, but all partners are dedicated to ensuring this river restoration enjoys success for decades to come. The hydropower industry’s legislation could roll back this broad-based agreement and stop future successes like it.
The state of Oregon opposes the legislation because it would take away Oregon’s authority to protect water quality in the state’s rivers. The U.S. Department of the Interior opposes the legislation because it would undermine federal land management agencies’ ability to manage public lands for recreation and the protection of fish and wildlife. It would make it nearly impossible to secure fish passage for the region’s iconic salmon or to protect endangered species. The bill would also strip local communities of their say in how dams on their rivers are managed, transferring that authority to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an energy-permitting agency based in Washington, DC.
Poorly managed dams can dry up rivers, pollute drinking water, kill fish, harm wildlife and eliminate opportunities for fishing, boating and other outdoor recreation. Do we really want dams operated without the protections of modern environmental laws or the input of local communities?
I know from my years as a student in Eugene and practicing law in Portland that Oregonians pride themselves on their strong conservation ethic and connection to the outdoors. American Rivers is proud to share these values.
The hydropower industry’s attempt to pass a bill to exempt dam owners from laws that protect fish, wildlife, water quality and recreation presents a very real threat to our rivers, local economies and quality of life. We urge Oregon’s congressional delegation to join with more than 100 conservation and recreation organizations in opposing this legislation.
Today’s guest blog is a part of the America’s Most Endangered Rivers® series highlighting the Columbia River in Washington State. Our guest blogger is Bob Rees, Executive Director of The Association of Northwest Steelheaders, which has chapters in Oregon and Washington. He is also a fishing guide on the Columbia River.
Join us as we celebrate the Columbia River throughout July, and be sure to take action!
As a salmon fisherman and fishing guide, I know my opinion is often biased. But I can’t believe that salmon, and the future welfare of their species, isn’t a top priority when it comes to natural resource management on the Columbia River and elsewhere – or in this case, un-natural resource management.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my short tenure on planet earth, it’s that once humans get a hold of a natural resource, and try to manage it, it gets really messed up. Engineers and ecologists that have the foresight to “manage” our natural resources so that they mimic natural processes actually have a chance to do things right, but the best method is to leave mother nature alone, and let her do her thing.
Right now, thanks to hot weather, low flows, and degraded river habitat, salmon are literally being poached to death on the Columbia River and many of its tributaries. The sportfishing public is sidelined again, doing what we can to ensure we minimize the harm to the species.
When will other industries step up to the plate? When will policymakers choose to do what’s right for salmon? How long does everyone think these species will survive with us “managing” the resource?
For what little we have left to manage, we can’t screw this up too. We need a fair Columbia River Treaty that takes a holistic look not just at hydropower and flood control, but at the needs of all of the Columbia River communities— from macro-invertebrates to apex predators. It’s time everything got a fair shake for a future in our world.
Today we have a guest blog from one of our partner groups — James River Association. Bill Street is CEO for James River Association, and Sterling Nichols is James River Association’s Board Chair who was born and raised in Hopewell, Virginia. The James River Association provides a voice for the river and takes action to promote conservation and responsible stewardship of the natural resources of the James.
This month marks the 40th anniversary of a turning point in the health of the James River. On July 24, 1975, Life Sciences Products in Hopewell, Virginia, was closed by the Commonwealth of Virginia due to the health impacts of its product, Kepone, a toxic insecticide related to DDT.
What made the pesticide so effective also caused harm to the workers and the river. In 1975, Kepone made national headlines as workers fell ill from exposure to the neurotoxin and production was halted by the state. A few months later, the state also shut down the James River to fishing for the same reason – the river ecology was also impacted.
Because Kepone slowly breaks down in the environment, the commercial fishing ban lasted for 13 years, devastating the river’s fishing industry and contributing to the James River being identified as one of the most polluted rivers in America at the time. Today, Kepone still rests in the sediment bed of the James, slowly being covered up year after year and reducing the risk to aquatic life, but it was still found in fish tissue until testing stopped in 2009.
In the year following the Kepone shutdown, the James River Association was formed to be a voice for the river and the people who care about it. Over the history of the organization, we have seen tremendous improvements to the river’s health. As a result, the James is now consistently graded as one of the healthier major tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay, and the river is a major recreation and tourist draw for the communities along it. With a healthier river, Richmond was named the Best River Town by Outside Magazine, and its award-winning James River Park System is the largest tourist attraction in town.
In Hopewell, Virginia, the city is now working with neighboring localities and partners to build riverfront trails, access points and amenities so that people can enjoy the very waters that were closed 40 years ago. Because the river today enhances our quality of life and local tourism, in addition to supplying our drinking water and supporting commercial interests, it means that we have even more at stake in protecting it.
Unfortunately, recent events remind us that toxic spills can still happen on our rivers if we are not vigilant. The Dan River coal ash spill, the Elk River chemical spill, and the James River oil train spill in Lynchburg, Virginia, made headlines across the country. Furthermore, in the past year we have also seen spills in Hopewell, Virginia, that caused fish kills and shut down the city’s drinking water— forcing businesses and schools to close. These events clearly demonstrate that while we have made much progress, our river is still at risk.
Today, there are more than 1,100 chemical storage sites in the James River basin that hold over 80 percent of Virginia’s registered toxic chemicals. Billions of gallons of coal ash sit on the banks of the river in unlined storage ponds. Millions of gallons of highly volatile crude oil travel the railroads along the banks of the river every week.
We are heartened by the recent steps taken to address these concerns, and now Virginia’s Governor McAuliffe and his administration have the opportunity to secure a healthier future for the James River.
Crude Oil Transport by Rail – On the anniversary of the Lynchburg oil spill, three major advances were announced: 1) Governor McAuliffe presented the recommendations of his Rail Safety and Security Task Force, which included increased rail inspections; 2) Senators Warner and Kaine introduced legislation to accelerate the use of safer rail cars; and 3) U.S. Department of Transportation presented their final rule to strengthen safe transportation of flammable liquids by rail. Virginia’s Governor must now ensure that his task force recommendations are fully implemented.
Coal Ash Storage – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued their first ever coal ash storage requirements, while utilities in South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee committed to storing coal ash in fully-lined and monitored facilities. Governor McAuliffe has the opportunity to ensure that Virginia’s rivers have the same protection as rivers in our neighboring states to the south.
Toxic Chemical Storage – This year, the Virginia General Assembly called for a study ensuring that chemical storage in the Commonwealth is conducted in a manner that protects human health and the environment. However, a James River watershed risk assessment, completed by Environmental Stewardship Concepts, found that there are substantial gaps in the information needed to accurately understand the risks facing our waters. Governor McAuliffe can make sure that we have the necessary data and adequate safeguards for the many chemicals stored along the river and discharged into it.
On this 40th anniversary of the bold action taken to address one of the worst toxic contamination events in Virginia, we urge Governor McAuliffe to continue Virginia’s leadership and commitment to the health of its waters and its citizens.
Please join James River Association’s efforts to protect our river at risk.
American Rivers applauds the great work of the James River Association, and looks forward to working together to improve the health of the river for future generations!
Verde River | Photo by Susan Culp
The Verde River is becoming increasingly known as a recreational mecca for outdoor enthusiasts from across the state and around the region. Canoeing and kayaking are common activities, as are fishing, bird-watching, and hiking along the river. Experienced boaters know that the Verde is a small stream, and its flows to support boating are seasonal and may vary considerably depending on precipitation, snowpack, and water removed from the river for agricultural use.
River runners have a number of options to choose from when boating the Verde River. As you know, always checking current conditions before getting out on the river is a wise first step before pushing off from shore. The most consistently floatable stretches during nearly all seasons are listed below; these three stretches are also well suited to novice paddlers:
- Lower TAPCO river access point to Tuzigoot (the Verde River @ Clarkdale stretch)
- The Skidmore Lane river access point to Bignotti river access point in the Prescott National Forest
- Black Bridge river access point to Beasley Flat river access point in the Town of Camp Verde
Boaters are encouraged to enjoy these sections of the river since there are a minimum of hazards and obstacles, as well as reasonably reliable flows even in summertime. The riverside lands along these stretches of river are a mix of private and public lands. Please respect private property rights and only put in and take out at designated access points. Also, check out helpful boater’s guides from our partners at U.S. Forest Service, Verde Valley Land Preservation and Arizona State Parks (special thanks to John Parsons who personally navigated and documented some of these stretches):
- Tuzigoot RAP to the Highway 89A bridge
- 89A Bridge to Beasley Flats
- Wild & Scenic stretch from Beasley Flats to Horsehoe Reservoir
If you are a more skilled or advanced paddler looking for a little more adventure, the Wild & Scenic portion of the Verde River might be right up your alley. Check with the U.S. Forest Service about river conditions, trip size restrictions, and if permits are required for your excursion. The Scenic stretch of the Verde runs from Beasley Flats to Childs River Access Point. Class III and Class IV rapids and hazards along this stretch increase greatly, proceed with caution. From Childs River Access point to Horseshoe Reservoir is the Wild Stretch of the Verde. There is limited access, no services, and only primitive amenities along the Wild and Scenic stretch of the Verde River in order to maintain its wilderness integrity. Please practice leave no trace if you enjoy this section of the river. Enjoy the Verde River – it’s an amazing oasis in the desert!
Verde River | Photo by Doug Von Gausig
This blog was written by Fay Augustyn and Susan Culp.
In 2016, American Rivers worked with communities in the Verde Valley to develop a series of recommendations and resources to develop sustainable river recreation management strategies. Learn more about different management practices in American Rivers’ new report and how they can be implemented in your community.
Download: Best Practices for Sustainable Recreation Management in the Verde Valley
The Verde River in north-central Arizona is a precious gem – a silvery thread that winds its oasis of life through a remote desert environment. One of the last healthy, perennially flowing river systems remaining in the state, it is home to rare cottonwood-willow gallery forests, abundant wildlife, migratory and resident bird species, significant archaeological and historic resources, and vibrant communities. For many years, the Verde River, valued for its healthy riparian habitats and wildlife, has remained relatively unknown outside of the region as a recreational destination. Until now.
The Verde Valley communities of Sedona and Jerome have been popular tourism destinations for decades. The high volume of visitors has meant that over the years these communities have had to work to address visitation issues (such as traffic, housing for service staff, and the encroachment of development on open space). Although the broader Verde Valley has generally remained out of the public eye and undiscovered by tourists, that is rapidly changing.
Across the Verde Valley, there is an array of new initiatives to improve recreation opportunities, foster economic development, and build a healthy economy. The communities of Cottonwood, Clarkdale, and Camp Verde, and the Yavapai Apache Nation, have all engaged in recreation planning in recent years as interest in outdoor recreation continues to rise. Visitation to the Verde Valley is growing, and the residents, spectacular open space, and wildlife are experiencing the effects of these changes.
In this report, we highlight best management practices for sustainable recreation development across the Verde Valley. We also identify successes from communities across the country and what they have done to mitigate the impacts of recreation in river corridors. In addition to identifying practices regarding carrying capacity, education, engineering, and enforcement, we also explore opportunities for their direct implementation in the Verde Valley.
Download: Best Practices for Sustainable Recreation Management in the Verde Valley
Not only will the strategies and best practices in this report help protect the natural environment, they will educate visitors on ways to sustainably support the Verde Valley, surrounding open space, and world-renowned vistas and views. The report includes an appendix that references supplemental information to help communities in the Verde Front and the Verde Valley better understand sustainable recreation management.
While your community may not be exactly the same as those in the Verde Valley, there are valuable takeaways from this report that can be utilized by river towns across the country. Explore them today!
“Through the Hitchcock Creek Blue Trail, we have renewed a natural resource that will provide paddling, fishing and economic growth through tourism and recreation today and for future generations. Clean, pure water in the middle of an urban area is not often found today and we will preserve this for future uses. The Blue Trail will have a positive influence on other outdoor programs throughout its ten mile run.”
Steve Morris – Mayor of Rockingham, North Carolina
American Rivers helped to transform Hitchcock Creek in Rockingham, North Carolina into a destination for fishing, boating, and other family-friendly recreation. Until 2009, the Steeles Mill dam degraded Hitchcock Creek, blocking migrating fish and preventing the community from safely enjoying the river through recreation. American Rivers and our partners removed the dam, and created a 14 mile Blue Trail.
As part of this effort, the City of Rockingham protected 90 acres of bottomland forest along the Blue Trail, protected 2-miles of riverside land through a conservation easement upstream of the former Steeles Mill Dam site, purchased two river access areas, and acquired a boat launch. Starting in Rockingham, the Hitchcock Creek Blue Trail offers paddlers an opportunity to explore the area’s diverse floodplain forests, historic mills remnants, and rare plants and animals. Rockingham sees their Blue Trail as an economic driver for the region and recognizes that a healthy Hitchcock Creek is vital its long-term success.
Holly Loff
“Rivers have always been at the heart of our family time. And we experience great things there together. We’ve watched goslings attempt their first swim, collected snail shells, caught laughably small fish and admirably large fish together, and so much more. Blue Trails help families like mine more easily enjoy their rivers. Whether through tubing, casting a line, or sitting in a lawn chair and watching the birds, a day on the river is good for everyone. I believe that if people experience their river, they will want to protect it – and our rivers need as many guardians as they can get.” – Holly Loff
Upper Colorado River | Photo by Jamie Mierau
There are a number of amazing day and multi-day trips along the Eagle Blue Trail on both the Eagle and Upper Colorado Rivers. There is a fit for every level of paddler as well as great access for fishing, hiking and biking along these terrific reaches of river. Whether you live in Eagle County or are just visiting and taking in the beauty, make sure you prioritize an afternoon with the river!
For more information about floating on the Eagle Blue Trail, check out these resources:
BLM Upper Colorado River Guide
BLM Eagle River Recreation Area
BLM Water Recreation
BLM Guide to Planning a Private River Trip
Upper Colorado River | Photo by Jessica Foulis
Fishing the Eagle and Upper Colorado Rivers as a part of the Eagle Blue Trail is one of the most popular recreation activities. Whether you are fishing from the banks on a public access point or casting a line from a boat, there are many opportunities to catch a whole lot of fish!
Colorado Fishing Rules and Regulations:
After purchasing your fishing license, check the fishing laws and regulations that apply in your area. Anglers are required to follow both statewide and waterway specific rules so that fish populations are protected now and into the future. Always check for fishing regulation updates prior to each fishing trip.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Fishing Rules and Regulations
Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Total Licensing System
Ethical Fishing Best Practices:
Fishing ethics and proper fishing etiquette are responsibilities of all anglers. These ethics and etiquette can be distilled down to a “golden rule” – treat others the way you want to be treated. Be respectful of others and be responsible for the area you are fishing. If you are new to the sport, some of these practices may not be as obvious as others.
Take Me Fishing Ethical Fishing Practices
Remember, as long as you have a valid fishing license, fishing ethics are not in place to restrict you. Fishing ethics are in place to help build a positive angling community.
For more information about fishing in Colorado, check out these resources:
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Fishing Page
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Fishing Brochure
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Boating Statutes and Regulations
BLM Fishing Information