WHITEWATER ANDRAGOGY

 

       Definition of whitewater: frothy water (as in breakers, rapids, or falls)
       Definition of andragogy: the art or science of teaching adults

One of my all-time favorite westerns is Lonesome Dove. Written by Larry McMurtry and later adapted into a TV miniseries starring Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, it's the classic tale of two retired Texas Rangers leading an epic cattle-drive to Montana. In the opening scenes, the stoic Captain Call played by Jones is seen trying to saddle a spirited dapple-gray mare they have nicknamed the Hell Bitch. It's not going well for Call as the horse tosses off the saddle and kicks him away.
Gus played by Duvall watches on with amusement as Call dusted himself off and walks angrily toward him and the corral fence. In their conversation, Gus utters a line that stuck with me over the years.
"Look who's talking. When did you change last?" he questions Call, "Still breaking horses when there's plenty of gentle ones."
Call refuses to budge commenting on the strength, intelligence, and the beauty of the animal despite its bad temper and willful ways.

For some reason, I thought about that scene as the pace of the river I was kayaking began to accelerate. I was approaching the succession of its oncoming rapids, where the rocks and water collided into a relentless storm of white fury. Frightening and exhilarating all at the same time, it's foaming and churning wild water that showed every sign of being untamable.
In the brief moments, before my anxiety yields to the rush adrenaline, I couldn't help but wonder why a man of my sensibilities is still trying to learn to paddle whitewater rivers when "there plenty of gentle ones" in this world.

"Do hear that?" Kim Sprague asked me as we listen to the low rumble of the rapids in the distance. For many, the sound of running water can be soothing. Who doesn't love the sound of a babbling brook or lake waves lapping along the shore? But that's not whitewater. Rapids roar. Rapids thunder. Rapids boom.
"Those who don't, can't hear the music." he declared.

Kim Sprague

I've known Kim, ever since joining the team of Current Adventures Kayaking School & Trips. He is a few years older than me with a grey beard, weather face, and long hair that makes him look like a retired rock star on the way to a Grateful Dead reunion. A likable nomadic soul, he has doled out an exorbitant and comprehensive paddling education to me over the years. But it's not just to me. He shares his passion and his elan with everyone he meets on the water.

We were just downstream from where gold was first discovered in California on the South Fork of the American River. During the spring and summer, the Northern California river is a playground for whitewater kayakers and rafters seeking a rush of excitement. The first 5 miles from the Chili Bar access is brimming full of Class III rapids with intimidating names like Meat-grinder and Trouble Maker. The Marshall Gold Discovery Historical State Park access to the Greenwood Creek is the so-called easy section through the valley consisting of several Class II rapids including a popular surf spot named Barking Dog.
Descending at 33-feet per mile toward Folsom Lake "The Gorge" features the river's most challenging series of Class III rapids and is the last section of the river.
That section will have to wait for another day when my skills are hopefully more advanced. We decided on the alleged easy course for this lesson.

"We call this rapid Fuzzy Bunny," smiled Kim as we looked downstream scouting the rapid from our boats. He had already led me through a routine of paddling fundamentals in eddy turns and edge control most of the day. He had his work cut out himself, as he tries to break me of years bad habits. A paddling coach through and through, Kim preaches an effective and efficient stroke.
"Look where you want to go. Maintain your momentum and really drive your boat when crossing the eddy line," he instructed, "And no back paddling!"
He continued to remind me and reassure me throughout our time on the river that paddling whitewater can only be developed with time spent on the water.

Out on the river, I followed behind in a swift water version of Simon Says by attempting to mirror every one of Kim's movements. When he went to river right, I went to river right. When he edged to the left, I edged to left.
It's not just bombs away with Kim. He wanted me to catch and work every eddy along the river.
Catching eddies is an invaluable skill in whitewater paddling. In practice, it allows one to break down complex rapids into smaller chunks, but by doing so, paddlers evolve into better paddlers with even better boat control. Of course, for a newbie like me executing these moves can lead to an unplanned swim and rescue. Kim patiently takes it all in stride.
"We've all been there," he explained, "If you're not swimming. You're not working,"

Kayaking is a mental activity as much as it is physical. The hardest thing to learn is to stay calm, focused, and aware while on the water. I did my best to keep up, but like a lost tourist not knowing the streets and paddling tentatively, I missed a few eddies. To slow the motion of the kayak, I instinctively use my bad technique and pushed my paddle in the water as a brake as I moved past Kim safe in the eddy. He slapped the water with his paddle blade in rebuke. "Don't back paddle," he pleaded.

Barking Dog is a growling billowing white wave of water that comes in view moments after the river turns northward. A popular spot, river surfers, and playboater are lined up along the shore like kids in amusement park ready to ride the roller coaster. With technical skill, riding the wave gives them the sensation of flying as the river is hurtling below. Held in place by the steepness of the wave the paddlers will skip, veer, and flip down the front of it.
This dog does have a bite, however. While there is a large recovery eddy to left, there is is a powerful back eddy on the right just below the rapid. Churning like an out of control washing machine the water spins forcefully back upstream into a clump of trees that will only add to a paddler's misery. Just like in auto racing, the equivalency of crossing this eddy line is like hitting the wall at Daytona.
"T-Bone the wave," Kim commanded, "Hit it head-on. Keep it straight and stay to the left. If you turn sideways you'll roll!"

There is an electric moment of suspense as I approached and committed to running this plunging trough and its foaming crest. Following Kim, I dropped into the vortex. Suddenly, I was not just in it but I was a part of it. Like a thrill ride at Disneyland, the kayak was shoved down and just as quickly lifted up and hurled forward, only to be driven down again. I lost sight of everything except the bow of the boat as I'm doused with the wave's spray again and again. I scraped against the river rights eddy line swirls and all I could think of in my full-on survival mode is to keep my balance and just paddle aggressively as I can until the water smoothed out around me.

Looking back at the giant wave, I had a sense of euphoric triumph and as well as a bit of relief as I paddled back to join Kim in the foam-laced eddy below the rapids. As famed canoe guru, Sigurd Olson wrote, "In the grip of the river, a man knows what detachment means; knows that, having entered the maelstrom, he is at its mercy until it has spent its strength. When through skill or luck he has gone through the snags, the reaching rocks, and the lunging billows, he needs no other accolade but the joy that he has known."

There were some more trips through challenging rapids along the way to Greenwood Creek. An obstacle course rock garden at Highway Rapids and the exhilarating high mounting waves of Swimmer's Rapids to end the session at the take out.

Like every good instructor, Kim offered praise of success at the end of the day. He added a list of things to work on (don't back paddle) and think about it for next time. But, that will be another day. Tired and feeling a bit beat-up, I picked my boat up and followed behind him on a hike to the parking lot.
Looking back over my shoulder, I caught one last glimpse of the river and its easy flow. At that moment, the scene from Lonesome Dove about the bad tempered pony flashed across my mind.
"I never seen a more intelligent filly," says Call. "Look how she's watching."
"She ain't watching you, cause she loves you," retorts Gus.

Yes indeed, there are plenty of gentle rivers out there to explore, ride and meander. Some of my best days have been spent aimlessly floating along in a placid waterway. But rapids unleash something wild in me. Beyond no doubt with tales of epic swims, lost boats, and even lost lives, whitewater paddling does offer some tough love. But, I want to know and understand its untamed spirit despite its dangers unpredictability. Its thundering rush does certainly does call to me.
Do you hear it? As Kim says, Those who don't, can't hear the music.

You want to go?

Contact: Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips 
PHONE: 530-333-9115 or Toll-Free: 888-452-9254
FAX: 530-333-1291
USPS: Current Adventures, P.O. Box 828, Lotus, CA 95651
info@currentadventures.com
owner Dan Crandall dan@kayaking.com

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OVER THE BOW: FOLSOM LAKE

“It is all very beautiful and magical here—a quality which cannot be described. You have to live it and breathe it, let the sun bake it into you. The skies and land are so enormous, and the detail so precise and exquisite that wherever you are you are isolated in a glowing world between the macro and the micro, where everything is sidewise under you and over you, and the clocks stopped long ago.” – Ansel Adams

Folsom Lake rises and falls with the seasons. At its fullest in early part summer, the lake features some 10,000 surface acres of water and has 75 miles of shoreline. While during the winter the lake level drops to a thirsty and parched skeleton of its former self.

As part of the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, the reservoir and Folsom Dam is a large watery expanse that extends about 15 miles up the North Fork of the American River, and about 10 1/2 miles up the South Fork of the American River located about 25 miles east of Sacramento, California. As a multipurpose waterway, the reservoir supplies much of the area's water supply while the dam operated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation provides both flood protection and hydropower. For outdoor enthusiasts, it's a recreational destination for water-related sports as well as biking and hiking along its rugged oak-lined shores.

Most paddlers will forgo summer weekends on the lake escaping the speed boat and jet ski crowd that usually creates an ocean of waves. Late fall and early spring provide the best conditions for paddling. 

It was on a late fall day a few seasons back that I made this trek to the lake near Dotons Point. A forest fire raging nearby had smothered the lake with a layer of smoke, while the low lake levels had left behind a dried stark and wondrous moonscape. The roads and paths to the water were blocked with large sharp rocks or gooey mud. The best solution was to find a level spot to park and carry the boat across the barren lakeshore to the water below.

Over the Bow is a feature from Outside Adventure to the Max, telling the story behind the image. If you have a great picture with a great story, we would love to see it. Submit it to us at nickayak@gmail.com

The Mission to Break Down Barriers to the Outdoors

Our friends at NRS and American Rivers are committed to cultivating common ground among diverse communities and making outdoor recreation welcoming and accessible to all.
Each Thursday in June, they will celebrate the experiences that make our hearts beat faster and fuller, sparking a dialogue to move our world forward—and having a bit of virtual fun, including exciting giveaways. Join the conversation. They invite you to share your stories with them and invite your friends to join the conversation by tagging #JustAddWater on social media.

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SUMMER INTERRUPTED

"Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today." --- From the movie "Groundhog Day,"

For outdoor enthusiasts, summer is the season we look forward to the most. Those hot days and warm summer nights provide the ultimate elements for paddling, hiking, and camping trips. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, it's time to, "Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air."

Memorial Day weekend traditionally kicks off the official unofficial start of summer, but as the novel coronavirus know COVID-19 pandemic stretches into its fourth month of social distancing recommendations and restrictions, the once carefree season is certainly off to an unusual and precarious start.
“We’re ready for a change, we’re all ready to get out of this," Joe Allen, assistant professor of exposure assessment science at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health told The Harvard Gazette, "But we don’t yet have the systems in place to manage this effectively. So we should expect that things will be very different this summer. I don’t think this is going to be anything like past summers.”

Without question, our traveling, camping, and beach-going agenda will have to be altered if we're going to decrease the risk of becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus and stop the spread of it to others.
But as we all know, going outside is good for us. Being in nature and the fresh air can help us relax and feel less stressed, which of course, is what most of us could use now. But with things as they are here are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind when heading out on this holiday weekend.

Paddling/Hiking
Whether on the water or the trail, the key to slowing the spread of COVID-19 is social distancing. Keep 6 feet apart from one other. If the water access or trails appear to be too crowded or you if you can't even find a parking spot for that matter it’s wise to move on or find another time to visit. It's also a good idea to stay in your own neighborhood. And of course, always wash your hands.
"First and foremost, be a considerate person, and act like you have the virus," writes, travel blogger Kristen Bor in her blog Bearfoot Theory, "This mindset should guide all of your choices moving forward." #RecreateResponsibly

Parks & Rec
Beware, across the country's popular national, state, and local parks are either still closed or slowly opening back up this weekend. Before visiting a park, please check the park's website to determine its operating status.
For the ones in the early phases of reopening the amenities may be limited. Entrance stations might not be staffed and while, visitor centers, some bathroom facilities, and group campsites will remain closed
And while many are celebrating the reopening of the parks, others are raising health concerns about large, possibly maskless, groups of out-of-state visitors arriving and potentially skirting social distancing guidelines.
“We checked the webcam at (Yellowstone National Park) Old Faithful at about 3.30pm yesterday,” Kristin Brengel, the senior vice-president of government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association told the Guardian, “Not much physical distancing happening and not a single mask in sight.”

Sleeping Under the Stars
Your summer camping trips will vary by location this year as more than 30 states have closed campgrounds or delaying their openings to correspond with new guidelines of social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 according to The Dyrt website.
“We’ve been trying to figure out basically from the beginning how we could get our campgrounds open for Memorial Day because we know how important it is to our communities with that being the kickoff to the camping season,” Danelle Highfill, recreation manager for the Boise National Forest, told the Idaho Stateman.
For those looking for campsite amenities this holiday weekend you're likely out of luck as most public campgrounds across the country are temporarily closed.
“If you are a hearty wilderness camper, you are absolutely welcome to go out into a state forest, one mile away from a developed campground, and do dispersed camping,” Kim Pleticha, a spokesperson from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to the Duluth News Tribune.

Happy Campers?
First the good news. Young campers won't have to contend with horrible food, bug bites, and smelly tents this summer. And now the bad news. Parents will have to contend with their bored kids as summer camps from Maine to California have been canceled or shorten for the season.
"That phrase, "social distancing," is not really in a camp's vocabulary," Ron Hall, executive director of the nonprofit Maine Summer Camps, told CNN.
Online virtual camps, scavenger hunts, and Zoom campfires via computer screen will replace many summer camp programs. While some traditional camps will open with shortened sessions using such precautions as having children wear masks and regularly sanitizing the equipment.
It's not just kids stuff. Many adult instructional programs such as learning to whitewater kayak have been disrupted this summer. Dan Crandall at Current Adventures Kayaking School & Trips said, "Obviously it's gonna be a challenging summer season no matter how or when things do finally open up to allow us to go back to teaching kayaking and getting folks out on the water. We will need to get creative and proactive once things loosen up."

Spring Carnage
Whitewater outfitters are used to frothy rapid changes at least on the water. But waves of disruption caused the Covid-19 pandemic has sunk a portion of this season at an array of water rafting destinations.
Colorado River rafting has been trips canceled through June 13, leaving guides broached at the possibility of resuming rafting trips through the Grand Canyon. Plans will be revisited periodically to give companies and individuals time to prepare for trips.

Courtesy of Scott Blankenfeld

In California, outfitters are acting accordance with the directive issued by state officials and have suspended all operations through June 7 at the earliest. So far, hundreds of customers have already jumped out of their plans, canceling trips scheduled for this past spring.
Whitewater Excitement’s website said, "We want you to know, however, that we still plan on running rafting trips as soon as we can!"
Meanwhile, in West Virginia, it's "All Forward" for whitewater outfitters in the New River Gorge area, as they hit the rapids using new safety enhancements and options to enhance social distancing while on the river.
“The outfitters had worked together to come up with a plan that identified what they thought to be the best and safest practices” for reopening, Lisa Strader, director of Visit Southern West Virginia told the Charleston Gazette-Mail. Many of their recommendations were included in the governor’s guide to reopening whitewater rafting.
For more information see the River Management Guide.

Is the Water Safe?
Is the water safe? Well that's always a loaded question. But according to the  Swim Guide website, "As of March 2020, there is not enough research to say for certain whether or not the virus that causes Covid-19 can be transmitted through water, through contact with feces that contain the virus, or through sewage. Research is ongoing though, so we expect clearer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers in the near future."
Mountain True's French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson agrees as he told WLOS-News 13, “It seems extremely unlikely that the Coronavirus could affect our waterways. It has been shown in some instances that it can go from humans into sewage and although its a low percentage and then it would have to go from sewage into our waterways in any kind of quantity that could get people sick.”
Meanwhile, always wear your PFD when out on the water. U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in four out of every five recreational boating fatalities in 2018 and that 84 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets. Think of it as wearing a COVID-19 mask. safeboatingcampaign.com

Clearly, this will not be a normal summer. We need to agree that for all us to enjoy summertime fun, it will require each of us to do our part to keep everyone safe.
“Everyone wants to know when this will end,” Devi Sridhar, a public-health expert at the University of Edinburgh told Atlantic Monthy. “That’s not the right question. The right question is: How do we continue?”

We are always looking for guest bloggers to share the stories and pictures of their adventure. Keep up with Outside Adventure to the Max, on our Facebook page and Instagram and now on Youtube.

HEADWATERS

 Rivers must have been the guides which conducted the footsteps of the first travelers. They are the constant lure, when they flow by our doors, to distant enterprise and adventure, and, by natural impulse. --- Henry David Thoreau,

Ask anyone why they started paddling and you will likely a hundred different answers. Some are like Thoreau are seeking that cosmic connection to nature and "all her recesses.'' While others like whitewater paddling coach Anna Levesque, say it's a way to face your fears and the perfect scenario to learn about yourself.
"That’s what I originally loved about kayaking," Levesque told Outside Magazine, "You have that exhilaration from being scared, but you have to act in spite of that fear. It’s a great way to cultivate courage, which is being afraid of something and doing it anyway.”

Parks closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Kayaking is a sport that can have profound impacts on folks and can indeed be a life-changing experience. Current Adventures Kayaking School & Trips' Dan Crandall says most folks come into kayaking with some element of fear and intimidation.
"But with good instruction can easily overcome that," said Crandall, "And in so doing develop a strong sense of self-confidence that carries through all chapters of their lives. It's my opinion that those who choose to get into kayaking are often subconsciously looking for that self-understanding. And as their confidence builds, they become a better and happier version of themselves."

As a kayak instructor, Crandall has seen this rebirth over and over again in his paddling pupils. They discover the joy of paddling and the intoxication of the water, especially on bucket trips, like going down the Grand Canyon.
"An adventure like kayaking the Grand Canyon is the epitome of self-discovery and reflection," said Crandall who leads annual trips down the canyon, "Removing all semblance of a regular routine and choosing to place yourself in the heart of nature and adventure allows a person to truly come to a recognition of what is most important to oneself."

Face masks due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

From paddling the turbulent waters of the Colorado River thousands of feet below the Grand Canyon’s rim to just about any other river with a bit of current, Levesque says the key is accepting that you can’t control the river, but you can control your kayak.
"Kayaking becomes fun when you learn to navigate your kayak (the only thing you can control) in a dance with the water (what you can’t control, but can learn to navigate)," she wrote in blog, Mind Body Paddle, "Uncertain times and situations can be approached like navigating a river. You don’t always know what’s around the bend, but you can keep looking ahead knowing that you can control your own boat."

In many cases, misadventure always leads to the best adventure as people often surprise themselves by finding themselves.
"Return to routine often puts into full relief the distinction between what you really enjoy and who you envision yourself to be." said Crandall, "The social nature of a Canyon trip or most kayaking outings gives positive support and affirmation to those who allow themselves to open up and be themselves to others because everyone else is there for similar reasons."

South Fork of the American River

Rivers are no longer unknown waters, but still, as Thoreau said they are a constant lure to the desire for adventure, self-discovery, and changing one's destiny.
"Kayakers as a group," said Crandall, "Are amazingly real, appreciative, positive, and fulfilling the natural inclinations that "good people" bring to life when they escape routine and constraining elements in their life."

Here is a look at some of our favorite images from this year so far.

 

New Year's Day paddle with Bayside Adventure Sports on Lake Natoma

Lake Clementine

Lake Natoma

Carting in past Lake Natoma's locked gates

John Taylor on Lake Natoma with wheels & paddle

Lake Natoma

Sailor Bar & The Lower American River

Lake Natoma

Sailor Bar & The Lower American River

We are always looking for guest bloggers to share the stories and pictures of their adventure. Keep up with Outside Adventure to the Max on our Facebook page and Instagram and now on Youtube.

THE WAITING GAME

During their three months at Fort Clatsop, the members of the Corps of Discovery led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark reworked their journals, labored meticulously drawing maps, and to pass the time produced an ample supply of moccasins for the return trip back east.

March 13, 1806, "I this day took an account of the number of pairs of moccasins each man in the party had; and found the whole to be 338 pairs. This stock was not provided without great labor, as the most of them are made of the skins of elk. Each man has also a sufficient quantity of patch-leather. Some of the men went out to look for the lost canoe and killed two elk." --- Patrick Gass 

Fort Clatsop

Life at Fort Clatsop on the south shore of the Columbia River, near modern-day Astoria, Oregon was unbearably dull for the explorers who just the year before had crossed mountains and shot rapids. The weather was depressing and the days were monotonous as often noted several times in their journals. "Not anything transpired during this day worthy of particular notice," wrote Lewis. It was a place they just couldn't wait to leave.

March 3, 1806, "No movement of the party today worthy of notice. Everything moves on in the old way and we are counting the days which separate us from the 1st of April, & which bind us to Fort Clatsop." --- Meriwether Lewis

We don't have to go very far to see the parallels between our exploring counterparts of over 200 years ago and today's outdoor enthusiasts waiting out the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. As of this writing, state parks in many states are closed under the guidance on social distancing. Public health officials have raised alarms about people congregating in outdoor spaces like beaches, climbing areas, trailheads, and some popular river accesses leading to in some cases, these areas being shut down by local authorities.

"These are crazy, uncertain times," wrote California based paddler Cate Hawthorne in her blog Woman on the Water, "I feel very fortunate to have a comfortable home, agreeable partner for sheltering in place, lots of projects, and lots of good books to read. What has been difficult for me is the economic uncertainty and not being able to play outside (hike, bike, kayak, camp)."

For the most part, I've heeded universal rules that everyone should know by now, wash your hands, stay six feet apart from one another, avoid crowds, and stay local. Like the explorers at Fort Clatsop, I've found some diversion to my day with trips in my own neighborhood, all the while looking eastward toward the Sierra. Especially disappointed in missing my annual springtime events and trips, but I'll take refuge in my small solo outings or with my close paddling friends to my local river and lake.

Locked gates and kayak carts

With California state parks gates locked water access has been limited my neighborhood's Lake Natoma. Area paddlers park outside the gate and cart in their SUPS, kayaks, and canoes past the gates and signs to ghost town parking lots and boat access. Once on the water, a sense of normalcy occurs.

"Such a nice afternoon on the water!" wrote a Facebook friend, "Distancing of course with a few friends! So nice to get out of the house as I was cooped up sick over a week ago. Needed some vitamin D and connection. Thankful!"

Sunshine and water are good medicine. Wisconsin based paddler Shari Gasper felt that same rejuvenation just by getting back on to her lake recently.
"It just felt great to be outdoors and physically active," she wrote in her blog, Two Orange Kayaks, " We were a quiet trio on an almost empty lake, not coming into contact with other people, enjoying a day that felt nearly “normal” during the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. The time on the water made me feel energized and hopeful that I can endure another month of social distancing—if I have kayaking as my escape from the day-to-day monotony."

As with the explorers of the Corps of Discovery, we are counting the days until the restrictions are lifted and we can all travel far from homes. With so much uncertainty and so many changes in our lives these days, it's a relief to know the lakes and rivers will be there waiting for summer adventures. Yes, we'll all have to act responsibly by prioritizing the health and well-being of others when we get there by practicing the guidance of social distancing. And if we do, everyone will be able to enjoy the sunshine and beauty of the summer season. But until then, we'll have to wait.

March 20, 1806, "The rain rendered our departure so uncertain that we declined this measure for the present. nothing remarkable happened during the day. we have yet several days provision on hand, which we hope will be sufficient to subsist us during the time we are compelled by the weather to remain at this place." --- Meriwether Lewis

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WATER FIGHT: Last Week's Highs and Lows of the Clean Water Act

The wars of the twenty-first century will be fought over water. ---- Ismail Serageldin

It was famed humorist Mark Twain who was given the credit for the incisively well-known phrase that "Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting."
For environmentalists concerned about protecting water, last week's 50th anniversary of Earth Day celebration offered a wild waterpark ride of slips and slides in interpreting the 1970's Clean Water Act.

The week began with water advocates crying foul has the Environmental Protection Agency under the guidance of the Trump Administration issued rulings that strip Clean Water Act protections for more than half of the nation’s wetlands and millions of miles of streams. The new Navigable Waters Protection Rule, “waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS), dramatically narrows the definition of what waters are and the scope of which they are subject to federal regulations under the Clean Water Act. The rule would effectively roll back Obama-era regulations and re-define navigable waterways, potentially threatening ecosystems and drinking water supplies.

American Rivers President Bob Irvin says that the new rule is a matter of law and not science stating that ephemeral streams (one in five streams nationally) and isolated wetlands (51 percent of all wetlands) do not qualify as waters under WOTUS.
"We believe that science is the best guide to protecting our rivers and streams," wrote on the American River webpage, "Now, the Trump administration is dismantling clean water protections that are essential to public health and safety."

The EPA said the changes are the results of two executive orders Trump signed last year aimed at preventing delays of federal projects such as pipelines, dams, and mines that have been limited by states and tribes' abilities to study the project's effect on water quality.
“The EPA’s existing certification rules have not been updated in nearly 50 years and are inconsistent...." the agency said in a statement to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, "Leading to confusion and unnecessary delays for federally licensed or permitted projects."
The proposed changes would set a one-year time limit for local reviews while allowing federal agencies to demand a quick turnaround. They would also allow federal agencies to veto what states or local entities decide, raising concerns with environmentalists.
"In the midst of this pandemic," Sierra Club Deputy Legislative DirectorDalal Aboulhosn, issued this statement. "The Trump administration has just given polluters another free pass-- this time to contaminate groundwater, destroy streams and wetlands and put our water at risk. The need for clean water cannot be ignored, nor can the consequences of doing so."

The (WOTUS) rule could take effect later this summer, but will surely face potential legal challenges that might delay it. The Trump administration has hopes that a case challenging the rule will end up before the Supreme Court and, with the current conservative majority, it will be upheld by the majority.

However, in the same week, the U.S. Supreme Court sent a loud and clear message to the Trump administration and the EPA, stating: Don’t go too far in cutting clean water protections.
In a 6-3 ruling, the court said that the landmark Clean Water Act forbids polluters from spewing waste into navigable waters like oceans and streams without a permit even if the pollution travels indirectly through groundwater.
“This is unquestionably a win for people who are concerned about protecting clean water in the United States,” said David Henkin, a lawyer for the environmental group Earthjustice who argued the case in the high court told the Associated Press.

In the most high-profile environmental dispute of the Supreme Court’s term, the decision could certainly weaken the defense to the Trump administration’s future (WOTUS) court challenges. Environmentalists will now argue “If groundwater can be the connection to permitting in Maui, then why can’t groundwater be the connection for extending jurisdiction over isolated wetlands and seasonal waters?"
"The administration may be less sure of its strategy now," wrote American River's Ivrin in an email, "After the Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 decision in the Maui case. In rejecting the administration’s argument that only a direct discharge could be a violation, the majority recognized a broader scope of waters of the U.S."

Much more litigation is sure to follow as environmental groups continue their pledge to block the administration’s moves to undermine the protection of rivers and wetlands while industry and agriculture will be lobbying the EPA and Congress to simplified standards and to loosen what they say is government overreach brought by the Obama administration.

"Ultimately, the scope of waters of the U.S. will likely be decided politically," wrote Irvin in an email, "If the Trump administration is limited to one term, a Biden administration would likely revoke the dirty water rule and restore the Obama-Biden administration’s Clean Water Rule. A Democratic-controlled Congress could clarify the broad scope of waters of the U.S. Or a future Supreme Court case could resolve the issue."

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EARTH DAY 2020

Every Day is EarthDay. The changes needed to safeguard future living conditions for all species won’t come from governments or businesses. It will come from the best available science and public opinion. So it’s up to us. Spread the science. --- Greta Thunberg, via Twitter

This past week was the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Under normal circumstances, it would have been a week around the world marked with Earth Day celebrations, festivals, and massive clean up efforts all while promoting a cleaner, healthier environment worldwide.
It’s safe to say, however, nobody expected we’d be celebrating indoors and practicing "social distancing" during an earth-shaking pandemic that has inflicted millions and killed thousands. Environmental groups under the guideline stay in place restrictions around the world to fight the spread of COVID-19 were compelled to cancel all their outdoor and group events dedicated to environmental protection and rally online instead.

"Amid the recent outbreak, we encourage people to rise up but to do so safely and responsibly – in many cases, that means using our voices to drive action online rather than in person,” Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network, said in a news release.

Earth Day event organizers went to social media to create creative and fun virtual activities like trivia games, online tours of state and national parks, and interactive scavenger hunts along with tips on how people can honor the earth from home.
“It was hard,” Naina Agrawal-Hardin, a 17-year-old activist told Sierra, "But it was also so clear that it was what needed to happen. It’s not like we were going to pack up our bags just because Earth Day isn’t what we wanted it to be.”

"Like Earth Day, I turn 50 this year," wrote Wisconsin freelance writer Shari Gasper in the Sun Prairie Star, "There will be no party, no vacation get-away, no day at the spa. Instead, you’ll find me outside—in my garden, on a trail, or in my kayak on a quiet lake. My special day will be spent enjoying the simple joys of life, just like when I was a kid, and celebrating our amazing natural world."

But while it might have felt a little hard to celebrate Earth Day locked down in quarantine, the planet earth seemed to enjoy its day during this suspended time out. Around the world, skies are clearing of pollution, wildlife is returning and the normally polluted waters like the canals of Venice are clearer than anyone can remember.

No problems with the natural world have not suddenly vanished. Environmental leaders still warn that climate change still represents the biggest challenge to the globe. They predict that the world will return to its pre-pandemic settings quickly wiping out any environmental benefits of the shutdown.
However, on the bright side, they say the pandemic shutdown does give us a glimpse of a possible alternative into future Earth Days but only if we "rechart our course."
“Whether we like it or not, the world has changed. It looks completely different now from how it did a few months ago. It may never look the same again. We have to choose a new way forward,” Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg told a YouTube audience to mark Earth Day this week.

Like all milestone anniversaries, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day despite this year's lack of fanfare is a salute to the environmentalists who started a worldwide movement and the bold call for action of those like young Thunberg, who continue the crusade by encouraging all to us to honor the earth, not just one day year, but each and every day.
"Each day, every single person," Jane Goodall said in National Geographic's, documentary special JANE GOODALL: THE HOPE, "Has the chance to make an impact through small, thoughtful choices, and when billions of people make the right choices, we start to transform the world. Don’t give up; there’s always a way forward.”

American Rivers Clean-Up Pledge  
While many of the Earth Day river clean-ups were canceled or postponed until a later date due to the coronavirus COVID-19 social distancing guideline, there is still a need. Outside Adventure to the Max and American Rivers is asking those of you who can get outside to take action and clean up and protect the rivers in our own backyards. We need your pledge.
Every year, National River Cleanup^® volunteers pull tons of trash out of our rivers, but by picking up trash you see around you every day, you can prevent it from getting into the rivers in the first place.

Will you pledge to pick up 25 pieces of trash in 25 days? Let’s prevent litter from making it into our local streams and rivers. Add your name here:

Make the River Cleanup Pledge, and share your work on social media with #rivercleanup to help grow our movement. You are the key to protecting our rivers by setting an example for your community and help make Earth Day every day

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