DAVENPORT, IOWA (September 25, 2019) — More than 200 stakeholders who represent interests that range from agriculture, manufacturing, energy and navigation to tourism, the environment and flood control will convene in the Quad Cities Oct. 23-24 to discuss improving and utilizing the Upper Mississippi River and sustain the benefits provided.
The 12th annual Upper Mississippi River Conference — Advancing Our Shared Vision — will focus on issues facing the use and stewardship of the Mississippi River, which covers all or part of 31 states in the nation. Presentations will follow two tracks, Sustaining/Improving the River and Utilizing the River.
Building on the action-plan developed at the 2016 “Raise the Grade” UMRC conference, the 2019 UMRC will directly address one of the action items — ‘Improve opportunities for recreation in the Upper Mississippi River Basin’ — and the critical steps needed to enable river-towns to create and offer river-amenities. The conference also will include a workshop entitled, “We survived 2019’s record flooding, so now what?” moderated by Ed Freer, Graef USA. Two field-project tours are offered on Wednesday, October 23; Blue Heron Eco-Cruise and Mississippi River Eco Tourism Center, and Quad Cities area Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Projects and Dredge Reuse Projects. A student-poster session is set for 4PM on Wednesday, October 23.
Keynote and plenary speakers include John Anfinson, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, National Park Service; Colin Wellenkamp, Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative; Olivia Dorothy, American Rivers; and Loren Wobig, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Water Management. Wednesday evening’s dinner entertainment will be provided by Larry Long.
The conference is hosted by River Action, a non-profit organization that works to protect and restore the upper Mississippi River in the Quad City area, foster cultural and economic river-related activities, and raise awareness of sustainable practices that enhance the river. River Action Executive Director Kathy Wine said a part of what her organization and this conference seek to do is help people understand just how critical the upper Mississippi River region is to the economic, social and environmental health of the entire nation.
The 12th annual Upper Mississippi River Conference will be held October 23-24 at Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center in Moline, Illinois. Attendees can register for one or both days of the conference, and discounted fees are available for students.
For further details and registration, visit www.riveraction.org/UMRC.
About River Action
River Action strives to foster the environmental, economic, and cultural vitality of the Mississippi River and its riverfront in the Quad City region.
