# What's cooler than a kayaker busting through a dam?



## AW-Evan (May 27, 2014)

Buying a sweet t-shirt with a kayaker busting through a dam to raise money for AW! American Whitewater is proud to partner with Float to bring you limited edition river stewardship T shirts available this week only! Look good. Save Rivers. Act now. Go Here - Float 

AW Article on Float


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## zbaird (Oct 11, 2003)

page not found.


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## AW-Evan (May 27, 2014)

Not sure what happened there. New Link $8 from every item purchased will be donated to American Whitewater | FLOAT Apparel


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## AW-Evan (May 27, 2014)

Bump. Sweet shirts help AW! Two more days left. Don't blow it and miss out on these special limited edition dam busting shirts!

$8 from every item purchased will be donated to American Whitewater | FLOAT Apparel


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## panicman (Apr 7, 2005)

Would like one of the tshirts but $6 for shipping for a tshirts is way to high. $30 tshirt where only $8 goes to AWA. I would just rather donates the money straight to them Just saying.


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## jmacn (Nov 20, 2010)

panicman said:


> Would like one of the tshirts but $6 for shipping for a tshirts is way to high. $30 tshirt where only $8 goes to AWA. I would just rather donates the money straight to them Just saying.


Well hopefully you will send the 8 bucks to AW. Agreed $6 dollar shipping is steep for a T-shirt, but the work AW does is absolutely priceless. Here's a challenge to all you river boaters out there: Join AW and renew your membership indefinitely. If you can afford to drive all over the country chasing good times on the river with your Engle cooler, Sotar cat, custom trailer, whatever, then $35 bucks a year won't break the bank. Even if you're currently a dirtbag boater forgoing a career to live the dream, I'm talking to you too! I was called out by a bud many years ago for not supporting AW. In those days $35 needed to go toward gas, rent, beer, and whatnot. I made it happen though and am proud to be a long time supporter. I got to paddle the lower White Salmon last summer all the way to the Columbia. Thanks AW!! Did you hear we can go boating in parts of Yosemite and possibly Yellowstone soon? Please support AW!! They are defending not just our rights to recreate, but helping to preserve the health of our watersheds which will benefit all of us now and for generations to come. Thank you American Whitewater!


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## AW-Evan (May 27, 2014)

Jmacn - thanks for jumping in and your longtime support for AW. Some people like to collect t-shirts, pretty sure my wife would include me in that group, but definitely consider this an extra donation and a purchase of cool LE t-shirt that shows your support. If you're not an AW member already become a member first then start collecting the t-shirts. Although if you join the Ender Club ($100) you get a pretty sweet shirt too! American Whitewater - Member Rewards


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

Despite my great pleasure with all the great things AW does for rivers and the kayaking community, I can't help but note that the "Dam Busting" theme is more than a little extreme. Consider that much of Colorado's kayaking after runoff depends on dams. Specifically: Ark, Bailey, Foxton and Gore. Because of dams, we were all paddling Bailey in 2012, instead of strapping on rollerblades and complementing each other's figures in spandex.


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## panicman (Apr 7, 2005)

So where does the rest of the money go if I bought your over priced tshirt? Your pocket? I know how much tshirts cost to make and I know it does not cost $6 to ship them.


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## benpetri (Jul 2, 2004)

DanOrion said:


> Despite my great pleasure with all the great things AW does for rivers and the kayaking community, I can't help but note that the "Dam Busting" theme is more than a little extreme. Consider that much of Colorado's kayaking after runoff depends on dams. Specifically: Ark, Bailey, Foxton and Gore. Because of dams, we were all paddling Bailey in 2012, instead of strapping on rollerblades and complementing each other's figures in spandex.


Oddly enough, 3 of the 4 of the runs you just mentioned have faced past and/or current dam threats. Gore is available for us to paddle only by the grace of Theodore Roosevelt who apparently decided to choose railroad over dam when the conflicting interests came before him. If the railroad had lost interest, rest assured there would be a concrete cork in it. Waterton, Foxton and Deckers were very nearly lost in the enormous "Two Forks" project back in the 1980s, which was only stopped when the EPA vetoed it under the Clean Water Act. In fact, Strontia Springs dam (the dam in waterton) was only built because it was intended to be the afterbay for the Two Forks dam. It was completed before the project was vetoed. Many water managers in the Denver area can still be heard today complaining about this decision, and Denver Water still owns much of the land and water rights up there, so its entirely possible the fight could return again someday. As for the Ark, several weeks ago the DOE issued a boneheaded report touting the hydropower potential of all kinds rivers across the US, including the Ark. Sure, nothing is likely to happen with it, but that is only because organizations like AW fight against these things.


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## AW-Evan (May 27, 2014)

Panicman - They're not AW's or my shirts. Float is an organization that partners with non-profits and then designs products to sell to raise money. If you don't like the Float model and don't want the t-shirt, please just donate the funds to AW. It's as easy as that. If other people like the t-shirt they can support AW and also get something out of the deal. If you want to donate funds that directly effect a certain project or a place you're concerned about there's a way to do that too through the AW website.

DanOrion - The dam busting theme is to decommission dams that are not of use anymore. Major successes in Northwest removing dams that weren't producing anymore, I believe is the inspiration. Kayaking where a dam once was and seeing the river come alive again is a pretty cool process. 

AW knows all about recreational releases and is a major player in negotiating recreational releases below dams across the country. AW's position on dams is case by case and the aim is to maximize recreation opportunities while balancing environmental concerns, including human consumption needs.


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

AW-Evan said:


> AW knows all about recreational releases and is a major player in negotiating recreational releases below dams across the country. AW's position on dams is case by case and the aim is to maximize recreation opportunities while balancing environmental concerns, including human consumption needs.


Well stated!

BTW, I'd be supportive of a t-shirt with a kayaker beating up a fisherman, since all they ever ask for is low cold water, while I like big warm flows.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

DanOrion said:


> Well stated!
> 
> BTW, I'd be supportive of a t-shirt with a kayaker beating up a fisherman, since all they ever ask for is low cold water, while I like big warm flows.


Sounds like you'd better get busy with that MS Paint and Smile graphics package you've got, Dan!

And wait'll you see me in Spandex! 

SYOTR,

-AH


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