July 2002
Volume XIV
Issue 2
Abridged Edition

The American Whitewater StreamKeeper Project

By Mark Lacroix
Regional StreamKeeper for New England and New York

What is the StreamKeeper Project?

We are moving along with work on the new American Whitewater river database web site and have reached the point where we are actively recruiting and putting to work the very important team of volunteer "AW StreamKeepers" (SK).

Here is the concept behind the SKs:

The StreamKeepers are a group of trusted AW member "info volunteers" who are and will be responsible for helping generate and review the volumes of river data that are available via the new web-based AW river database. SKs come from all over the US (and eventually the Western Hemisphere) and will essentially be acting as featured authors and trusted verification sources for their chosen whitewater watersheds and/or streams.

The new AmericanWhitewater.org website will be receiving, including in its database and displaying all manner of wwriver information. Along with everything from the usual location, length and class of a river, we are inviting all whitewater paddlers and the general public to share their information and help build the rivers database. First-hand descriptions, rapid ratings, flow recommendations, hydro info, gage information, permit info, safety notices, history, pictures, maps, member's links, estimated numbers of paddlers per season, archived AW Journal articles, nearby motels, campgrounds, outfitters, gas stations, etc... basically, ANYTHING paddlers might find useful to know about a particular whitewater river. The more info we share - the better.

In order to help AW identify, maintain and verify the whitewater river information entering (or not being entered into) the database, we will be relying upon our SKs to keep their chosen watershed information correct and up-to-date as much as possible by using an email-driven alert system. Whenever new information concerning the whitewater rivers within the SK's chosen jurisdiction comes into the AW site, an automatically generated email will be sent to the SK with the new information for verification. The SK can then verify and enter the whitewater information to the database as correct and confirmed to the best of their knowledge, find it to be incorrect and delete it, or simply leave it as unverified and/or unknown.

In addition to providing a comprehensive and eye-catching web-based interface, we will be incorporating EPA and USGS identifiers in AW's main database, using it in cooperation with the USGS databases to provide user-customizable "Gaugebot" email-driven gage reports for our members. How does being automatically notified when your favorite stream is running at your chosen optimal flow sound to you?

To do this, we need help from every corner of AW's membership. The initial phase of the StreamKeeper Project had approximately 200 volunteers. For a truly comprehensive database, we need at least twice that number. A SK may choose to monitor as many, or as few streams as (s)he wishes. After choosing a stream, if an SK moves out of the area or decides that (s)he can't continue, (s)he can easily resign that stream, leaving it for the next volunteer to take on. This project is open-ended, which means that each of us can do as much or as little as (s)he wants.

So, please, if you have knowledge of a stream...whether it's a local stream that only you and your two drinking buddies paddle, or a famous stream that gets 2000 kayakers and raft hogs every Saturday, join up with the SK project, share your knowledge, and help American Whitewater become the paddlers' resource for the new millennium!

StreamKeeper responsibilities:

Choose a group of Streams to oversee.
Enter data and info on each Stream under his/her authority.
Receive user comments on the streams via email, and make appropriate updates.
Suggest other potential StreamKeepers.

Contact Information:
To become a StreamKeeper, please follow these simple steps:

Register with the americanwhitewater.org site.
Contact the New England and New York Regional Streamkeeper, Mark Lacroix (mwlcrx -at- worldpath.net). Address located on sign up page.
Be sure to tell me the Username under which you registered.

You may notice that a lot of New England rivers currently are “adopted” by Sharon and I. I am saving these stretches for anyone in the MVP, AMC, VPC, or MWVP willing to adopt these stretches. The information is already loaded all that is required it for you to keep it updated. Just send an e-mail directly to me stating your willingness to take over that particular stretch of river.

Many other stretches have only very basic information. Some stretches are not included at this time. You can also “add” and adopt a river stretch just as easily.

I realize the form system used to put information on the web page is a little intimidating to say the least especially for someone not familiar with HTML. If you like, adopt the stretch of river on the AW site then send me any information you have in a text file or Microsoft Word format and I will place that information on that web page for you.

If a large percentage of club members adopt a stretch or two we will have an enormously valuable database with the most current information. We could put this information together sometime in the future to make up a new printed version whitewater guide.