To kick off the 2023 River Days of Action, the Mississippi River Network (MRN) is hosting a networking happy hour on June 8, the first day of River Days! Come to this event in Minneapolis to see old friends and meet local partners working on Mississippi River issues and solutions, share beverages and snacks, and create joyful moments being in community together. Note: this is a causal, nonprogrammed event.

River City Outdoors and Big Muddy Adventures will guide St. Louis youth on an educational, interactive, paddling adventure down the Mississippi River. Our route takes us into the only non-navigable reach of the river to a pristine island where we’ll enjoy lunch on a sandbar and have the chance to spot wildlife and take a dip in the muddy waters of the Mississippi River. We’ll continue on into the port of St. Louis where we’ll see our setting quickly transition from natural to built. We’ll pass beneath five contemporary and famous historic bridges, while learning about some notable historic landmarks, and catching incredible views of some of St. Louis’s oldest riverfront buildings. The trip ends with an unbeatable, from the river, view of the Gateway Arch and lands us on the historic landing of downtown St. Louis. This is a wonderful “only in St. Louis” experience!

Note: this is not a public event. Have a question? Please contact Chris Geden with River City Outdoors at thriveoutside@rivercityoutdoors.org 

Paddling on the Mississippi is a sublime activity, and the 2nd annual Mississippi River Paddle Weekend has a plethora of Tours, Races, and a Relay for everyone from beginners to ultra-endurance athletes! All events take place on June 11th, 2023, except as noted. In addition to the tours, races, and relay, we are hosting a Post Paddle Party in the afternoon of Sunday, June 11th, at Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park in Coon Rapids, MN — all are welcome, whether you paddled or not! The Post Paddle Party will also feature local partners like Mississippi Park Connection.

More information on the various tours, races, and relay is available at www.twopaddles.org.

If you have questions about Mississippi River Paddle Weekend, please email Todd Foster and Scott Miller at info@twopaddles.org 

See you there!

More information coming soon.

Starting across from Jackson Square, participants will travel through time and down the Mississippi River, learning about the city’s history with water. The tour describes how water has shaped the food, music, and culture of New Orleans, as well as the city’s future through the impacts of climate change. The tour also includes watering hole stops where we take river diversions into topics of cancer alley, coastal degradation, and restoration.

Register for this event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-walk-below-sea-level-the-water-history-of-new-orleans-tickets-648175058047

This walking tour covers the history of water and its management in the City of New Orleans and will cover 4 major topics:

1. Environment & Ecosystems
2. Post Disaster Recovery and lessons learned
3. Intersectionality of Culture & Politics
4. Water & Climate Adaptations

The tour tells a unique story about water that is multi-layered and conversational.

Also, if you can’t make this event on June 9th, we are also offering it on June 17th!

See you there! For questions, please contact DeAnna Dupont, The Water Collaborative, at deanna@nolawater.org.

Members from the League of Women Voters Upper Mississippi River are gathering to learn about and celebrate the Mississippi River. We’ll meet at Stone Cliff Winery in Dubuque, Iowa, for lunch and then head to the Public Library in Galena, Illinois, for a presentation from guide Dale Glick on the History of the Mississippi River.

All are welcome to attend this exciting event! For questions, please contact Nancy at nancy55555@icloud.com

See you there!

River des Peres Watershed Coalition invites interested River Citizens, the public, and experienced water quality monitors to participate in Bike with Your Boots On along River des Peres Greenway in St. Louis! Join us on June 10th at 9:00 a.m. No experience in water quality testing is required, but everyone must wear a bike helmet if bike riding.

Trained water quality monitors will collect water quality monitoring data from sites and can offer opportunities for new trainees or interested citizens to observe. Volunteers can choose to bike ride on the greenway trail or drive directly to the monitoring sites. Please bring a water bottle to keep hydrated and be prepared for the possibility of getting your feet wet.

As a part of this event, there will also be storm drain marking opportunities in the area! For this special River Days of Action event, River des Peres Watershed Coalition is partnering with EarthWays Center (Missouri Botanical Garden) and the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Project Clear to mark storm drains. Placing markers on storm drains remind others to keep trash, chemicals, and other pollution out so the waterways stay healthy. It is really easy to help, and this is a good group activity. Interested to help? Please contact Maggie at mmccoy@mobot.org to get more details.

For event questions, please contact the River des Peres Watershed Coalition at info@riverdesperes.org

See you there!

Ever wonder why Louisiana has so many oil, gas, and petrochemical facilities? What paved the way for this vast petrochemical corridor to be sited along the Mississippi River, bleeding into the Gulf of Mexico? Spoiler alert: white supremacy, settler colonialism, and slavery! If those topics make your head spin, good. Interested in this history, social justice, and a smidgen of exercise? Then join the Louisiana Bucket Brigade on a Down by the River Bike Ride! Learn about the region’s rich history and how local grassroots groups’ organizing efforts in the heart of “Cancer Alley” are part of a fierce legacy of resistance to extractive economies.

The bike ride begins and ends in Norco, LA, about 30 minutes from New Orleans. 4-hour guided bike ride, mostly on the levee alongside the river. Co-led by Bike Ride Manager of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade and a local community partner. Bicycles, helmets, snacks, and water are provided. Folks have the option to drive in their car and meet at the stops. Must arrange transport to starting location, which is Norco Self Storage, 906 First Street Norco, LA 70079.

Please register and purchase a ticket beforehand by clicking here. Tickets are $85/pp and include a small gift from the Bucket Brigade.

For questions, please contact Sheila Tahir at sheila@labucketbrigade.org

See you there!

In this special River Days of Action weekend doubleheader on June 10th and 11th, join Wilderness Inquiry, Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance, Lake City Arts, and Red Wing Hispanic Outreach Center for both a paddling and puppet-making event. Both events are part of the Great River Restoration Celebration occurring in the Lake Pepin area. The paddling event is taking place on the River in Redwing, Minnesota on June 10th, and the puppet workshop is taking place at Lake City Arts on June 11th.

The June 10th paddle event is occurring from 10 am – 1 pm CT. We’ll be hitting the River in Wilderness Inquiry’s giant voyageur-style canoes and a bilingual naturalist to help explain and understand the work being done on a pilot restoration project on the river. Meet at Colvill Park in Red Wing, Minnesota: 507 Nymphara Ln, Red Wing, MN 55066

Have a question? Please reach out to Alex Keilty at alex@lakepepinlegacyalliance.org.

The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans (TWC) and the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators’s (NCEL) Mississippi River Legislative Caucus is hosting an in-person presentation and bus tour through Cancer Alley for Louisiana legislators and other elected officials. Cancer Alley is a 100-mile stretch along the Mississippi River that houses over 200 industrial complexes. We will discuss the background of the region, various water pollution and water quality issues that plague the region, and impacts to community members. We will highlight TWC’s recent water quality study of PFAS in the Mississippi River and consider how policies can be shaped to ensure everyone has access to clean, safe, affordable water.

Note: this event is private to legislators and mayors.

Have a question? Please contact The Water Collaborative’s Rebecca Malpass at rebecca@nolawater.org

In this special River Days of Action weekend doubleheader on June 10th and 11th, join Wilderness Inquiry, Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance, Lake City Arts, and Red Wing Hispanic Outreach Center for both a paddling and puppet-making event. Both events are part of the Great River Restoration Celebration occurring in the Lake Pepin area. The paddling event is taking place on the River in Redwing, Minnesota on June 10th, and the puppet workshop is taking place at Lake City Arts on June 11th: 105 W Center St, Lake City, MN 55041

The June 11th puppet-making event is occurring from 10 am – 2 pm CT. Join the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance’s Resident Artist, Felicia Cooper, in preparing for the Restoration Celebration Puppet Parade! We are creating large-scale puppets of native species as part of a community-wide celebration to take place on June 24 in Bay City on the shores of the restoration project. Come dressed for mess as we play with cardboard, paper mâché, and imagination. Learn about our river’s ecology as you create inspiring symbols of our wild cousins we are welcoming to our shores! These are FREE drop-in workshops, and no registration is required. Come to one or all three! Suitable for all ages.

Have a question? Please reach out to Alex Keilty at alex@lakepepinlegacyalliance.org.

More information coming soon.

This event is part of a week long event, called the River Days of Action, through our partnership with The Mississippi River Network. Their dynamic program highlights that The Mississippi River is Healthy, The Mississippi River is for All, and the Mississippi River has a Voice!

We will gather and have a quick volunteer training before walking specific areas in Alton and paint stencils and/or secure small plaques to the storm drains. This is an effort to educate the public that storm sewers flow directly into our local waters, depositing whatever they pick up along the way — pesticides, motor oil, fertilizer, pet waste — directly to the Mississippi River. We will also have stenciling kits available for small groups of volunteers to utilize throughout the year, going on their own dates and times.

This activity is good for adults with all ages of kids and youth, ages 13 and up with minimal supervision.

The River is Healthy! To ensure it’s health, we want to remind the public that all drains lead to the river and we want only rain to enter them.

Specifically, using spray paint and stencils, volunteers mark storm drains with the message, “Keep ’em Clean Drains to River!” Volunteers wear orange safety vests and orange safety cones are placed in the area. (All supplies provided.)

Volunteers also distribute educational doorhangers to nearby homes and businesses, making a visual connection between the newly stenciled drains and local water quality, and what they can do in their home and yard to help protect our local waters.

Volunteers rotate between spray painting and distributing educational materials.

Bring: Your walking shoes and water bottle. Sunscreen and/or a hat is recommended.

Cancellation Policy: Any rain cancels

For more information and how to participate visit: https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=7013q000002H24OAAS

Contact Christine Favilla with questions:  christine.favilla@sierraclub.org

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

Water quality is essential to healthy marine and freshwater ecosystems. Pollution-related stressors have a significant cumulative impact on the health of marine ecosystems. The plenary will highlight the importance of water quality and watershed management to sustaining our ocean, coasts and Great Lakes and protecting human health.

For more information, please click here: https://web.cvent.com/event/fadf1f30-afb1-4e54-a071-75d0811ba736/websitePage:d246fdf3-7c65-4fa8-9437-f0c2118f7fc0\

Please contact info@1mississippi.org with questions.
 

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

Farm Bill 101 Webinar: River Days of Action Special

The Mississippi River Network is delighted to host Liz Rupel (Illinois Stewardship Alliance), Jesse Womack (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition), and Duane Hovorka (Izaak Walton League) for this “Farm Bill 101” webinar.

Learn about this major piece of federal legislation that shapes farming livelihoods, how food is grown, what kinds of foods are grown, and its impacts on our environment.

The event is held online via Zoom. Register to receive the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErfuCqqzwqEtPS6THTGj86s-RHvxbYIibN

Please contact Maisah at mkhan@1mississippi.org with questions

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

Hang out with St. Louis-area river rats, River Citizens, and river enthusiasts for a couple of hours to swap stories, make new friends, and celebrate the Mississippi’s bounty of fresh water that makes St. Louis beer possible and tasty!

This event needs an approximate head count. Please mark ‘Yes’ on this form if you are interested in attending: https://forms.gle/yXo7UazrD5G9F8nK7

Questions? Contact Dean Klinkenberg, The Mississippi Valley Traveler, at Dean@TravelPassages.com

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

Event Organizer: Friends of the Mississippi River

Volunteers will work in the demonstration prairie boxes at Nicollet Island to ensure that this resource is providing everything it can for the human and wildlife communities. Volunteers will also work in the woodland and will help pull garlic mustard and other invasive plants from forested areas where buckthorn was recently removed.

To register or for more information, please click here: https://fmr.org/events/2022/06/07/prairie-box-and-woodland-tending-nicollet-island

Questions? Contact Sophie Downey, sdowney@fmr.org

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

Do you care about the Mississippi River? Maybe you are one of the ~20 million people who gets their drinking water from the Mississippi? Are you looking for simple ways to create a healthier world for people, land, water, and wildlife?

You are invited! Join the community of 20,000-people who are taking action for our mighty Mississippi. Attend this special ‘River Days of Action’ event that is bringing together fellow 1 Mississippi River Citizens from all over for an online gathering.No experience is necessary. Come swap stories with people from all over and learn more about the River. The event is casual; come as you are.

The event is hosted by Michael Anderson, Outreach and Engagement Manager of the Mississippi River Network (you may know him from the 1 Mississippi emails — he also canoed the Mississippi from Minnesota to Louisiana!) There will be two 1 Mississippi River Citizen Online Get-Togethers during the Mississippi River Network’s River Days of Action occurring June 7 – 12th, 2022:
–Tuesday, June 7th, from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm CT via Zoom.
–Friday, June 10th, from 12:00 pm – 1 pm CT via Zoom.

From armchairs to wading boots, together we are 1 Mississippi.

To register or for more information, please click here: https://bit.ly/GetTogether6722

Please email Michael Anderson at manderson@1mississippi.org with any questions. See you soon!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

Note: This is a closed event. Please email info@1mississippi.org if you’d like to participate in future events like this!

On this tour, attendees will hear from researchers about sustainable farming practices. Lead investigators from Iowa State University will share research progress, challenges, and questions. There will be three stops on the tour including a look at the “Comparison of Biofuel Cropping Systems (COBS)” long-term research plots, and two edge-of-field drainage research projects: restored oxbows and bioreactors. This is a great opportunity for legislators to learn more about innovative best management practices and policy ideas.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

Down by the River is a 4-hour bike ride held in the heart of Cancer Alley. Led by the Bucket Brigade’s Bike Ride Manager alongside one of their community partners from a local grassroots group, get ready to immerse yourself in a sensorial and educating experience. Learn about how plantations paved the way for petrochemical companies, and how racial capitalism, plantation slavery, and settler-colonialism have contributed to Louisiana becoming a sacrifice zone. Riders mainly cycle on the levee next to the river, stopping at six historically relevant spots. Bikes and a snack are provided. Riders must arrange transport to Norco, LA

Click on the link for more information and to participate: labucketbrigade.org/take-action/book-a-bike-ride/

View the Down By The River Flyer: DBTR flyer – Sheila Tahir

Contact: Sheila Tahir, Louisiana Bucket Brigade. Email sheila@labucketbrigade.org for more information.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

Teaching 20 young adults from inner-city St Louis, with little to no experience in kayaking, how to handle and be safe in a kayak on the Mississippi, a short distance from their neighborhood in north StL. KLife is a very successful mentoring program. They will also be introduced to 1 Mississippi.

Event Organizer: Mississippi River Water Trail Association, KLife

Note: this is a closed River Days of Action event, open only to KLife, MRWTA Instructors, and Safety Boaters. If you have questions, please contact info@1mississippi.org

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

The St. Louis Aquarium Foundation Stream Team and Great Rivers Greenway invite you to ‘Revamp the Riverfront’ on World Oceans Day, June 8th!

Join us in a trash cleanup effort along the Mississippi River, while we monitor the trash debris through the Marine Debris Tracker Citizen Science project. Gloves, bags, trash grabbers, and snacks will be provided! Join us as we ‘Revamp the Riverfront’ and prevent plastic pollution from entering the Mighty Mississippi River and, eventually, our oceans!

More info can be found here: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E347224&id=61

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

Note: This is a closed event. Please email info@1mississippi.org if you’d like to participate in future events like this!

Attendees will experience a combination of education and hands-on activities for legislators to learn about water quality and nutrient pollution monitoring. Possible hands-on activities include water quality monitoring and analysis and a session on microplastics.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

In 2021, The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans hosted its first-ever design competition around planter boxes. The goal of this competition was to highlight the unique problems facing Southeast Louisiana and bring professional designers and community members together to solve challenges regarding climate change, while also addressing social and environmental justice.

Join us on Wednesday, June 9th, 2022 for “”The Resilient Design Competition: Floating Planter Boxes for Indigenous Communities Impacted by Sea-Level Rise.””

During this online session, we’ll discuss its year’s client; the indigenous community we’re serving in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, the climate and social implications they’re facing, and how a simple planter box can be a small but mighty solution. Participants will walk away learning more about the challenges facing coastal communities and learn a thing or two about designing a climate-resilient planter box.

The event is free. Register here to receive the meeting link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resilient-design-competition-the-floating-planter-box-tickets-337426932037

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RIVER DAYS OF ACTION EVENTS

BEAM = Backyard Expeditions Arkansas Mississippi — bringing our backyard to yours, with real-life skills for a post-pandemic world — through the journey of a 174 year old cypress tree becoming a dugout canoe!

River Action’s month-long scavenger hunt along the Mississippi River. Follow 36 clues to historic locations and environmental projects. Compete for prizes and learn more about your community!

Register/Learn more on the Eventbrite page here

Join fellow River people in STL to kick-off Mississippi River Network’s River Days of Action! Networking, happy hour, and presentations.

5:00 – 6:00 PM CT — Networking + Happy Hour, in-person & outside

6:00 – 6:30 PM CT — Nationwide Mississippi River Town Hall (feat. Congresswoman McCollum), streaming live indoors or log-on virtually* at home

6:30- 7:30 PM CT — Cultivating a Reverence for Big Rivers, Presentation by Author Dean Klinkenberg, the Mississippi Valley Traveler, in-person indoors or log-on virtually* at home

*Links to virtual events will be provided prior to the event.

Mingle with local, state, and national River organizations and leaders!

Pickerel Lake is a wonderful location to be introduced to the world of paddling for beginners or those wanting more paddling experience. National Park Service rangers will provide instruction and equipment for an adventure on the water for a wide range of experience and ability levels. Adaptive paddling equipment is available, including hand adaptions for people who can grip a kayak paddle but need added support, or specialized outriggers attached to boats for balance assistance.

Join us for this summer worknight at Camel’s Hump Park and Open Space as we return to this stunning site with expansive blufftop views of the Mississippi River Valley. Together we’ll tend to volunteer-planted pollinator patches — small gardens that provide much-needed concentrated habitat and resources for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. We’ll also add to the pollinator patches by planting more native wildflowers. Lastly, some volunteers will help with garlic mustard removal in other parts of the site.

All are welcome, but capacity is limited and registration is required. As always, all tools and training will be provided and volunteers are encouraged to work at their own pace and comfort level.

JOIN: Congresswoman McCollum, Friends of the Mississippi River, Healthy Gulf, Mayor LaToya Cantrell (NOLA), and Author/Filmmaker/Traveler Eddy Harris.

Join fellow Mississippi River enthusiasts nationwide as we celebrate a new vision for the River and launch a public petition for action!

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mrn-river-days-of-action-nationwide-mississippi-river-town-hall-tickets-156549177805

About this event
This is a virtual event. Please register here (via Eventbrite) and we will follow-up via email with a Zoom link for the event. See information for local “watch party” events at the bottom of this page!

6:00 – 6:30pm CT

Engage with fellow Mississippi River enthusiasts and other VIPs as they share their love for our River. Hear remarks from:
Congresswoman Betty McCollum of Minnesota’s 4th District
Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans, Louisiana
Eddy Harris, author, filmmaker, and traveler
Enjoy cameo appearances from “watch parties” happening up and down the Mississippi River.

Learn about Congresswoman Betty McCollum’s (MN-04) vision for a Mississippi River Restoration & Resilience Initiative (MRRRI).

Learn how to take action through a public petition for the River.

6:30 – 7:00pm CT

Learn more about the Mississippi River Restoration & Resilience Initiative (MRRRI) and how you can get involved from organizations:

Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) from Minnesota
Healthy Gulf from Louisana
LOCAL WATCH PARTIES

Interested in viewing this town hall in-person, safely, and with other River enthusiasts? Register for a watch party:

St. Louis River Days of Action Kick-Off at Schlafly Tap Room
Learn more about the Mississippi River Network, our 1 Mississippi Program, and the full River Days of Action events schedule by visiting 1mississippi.org

Please contact Maisah Khan (mkhan@1mississippi.org) if you have any questions about this event!

What is a watershed? Join HeartLands Conservancy, along with the City of Highland, to discuss the importance of managing water quality within a watershed. We will focus on best management practices in urban and rural settings, and take an in-depth look at some of the recent projects in which HeartLands Conservancy and the City of Highland have partnered

IEC and the Mississippi Legislative Caucus are hosting a private tour of the Tesdell Century Farm for state legislators and Congressional staff. The tour focuses on conservation practice implementation to reduce nutrient pollution. Polk County Public Works will present on their “blitz” project to install saturated buffers and bioreactors on a large scale.

Great River Road Clean Up – please consider volunteering 2 hours to clean the scenic byway as it passes Alton, Godfrey, Piasa Creek, Elsah, Chautauqua, and Grafton! Your own water bottle, hat or sunscreen, and wear closed-toe shoes. You can choose which of the four locations you want to meet at on the registration form. Heavy rain cancels.

Join us as we take an inventory of the wildlife at Poag Sand Prairie! We will be looking for native species of plants, insects, amphibians, & mammals to determine how well our conservation efforts are working! This will be a fun event for the whole family!

Join trained monitors by walking, biking on trail or meeting to observe water quality testing. This project gives snapshot of water quality annually on Lower River des Peres not far from the Mississippi River.

Explore a unique portion of this national park that’s reminiscent of a Louisiana bayou, with a National Park Service ranger as your guide. This area in the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is great for wildlife observation—come see bald eagles, great blue herons, prothonotary warblers, we might even be able to sneak up on a muskrat!