River Action's Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks -- August 5 through 30.
Channel Cat Talks: Tuesday, August 5, through Thursday, August 28
Riverbend Commons Dock, 2951 East River Drive, Moline IL
Riverine Walks: Wednesday, August 6, through Saturday, August 30
Various Area Locales
Delivering a blend of local history, environmental issues, education, entertainment, and fresh air, Davenport's River Action will present a series of outdoor presentations in the third and final month of the 2025 Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks: weekly programs that, from August 5 through 30, will address such topics as the U.S. Coast Guard, area water quality, the Quad Cities' locks and dams, and spooky tales of Nahant Marsh.
Channel Cat Talk participants tour the Mississippi River aboard the Channel Cat Water Taxi, with boarding taking place at Moline's Riverbend Commons Dock. Experts will provide narration on the themed surroundings, with the Channel Cat Talks for August including: "Living Lands & Waters - Helping Our River & Community" (August 5 and 7), in which program manager Andrew Layer will explore the history and mission of Living Lands & Waters as driven by founder, president, and East Moline native Chad Pregracke; "History of the USCG Auxiliary & the American Waterway Watch" (August 12), with Charles Brennan offering a brief history of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and the public-outreach program that encourages participants to report suspicious activity to the USCG or local law enforcement; "Always Ready in the Heartland: a Brief History of the U.S. Coast Guard on the Mississippi River" (August 14), a program that finds Todd Wilkinson covering everything from the Coast Guard's navigations to responding to record-breaking floods to protecting the Mississippi River's unique and vibrant ecosystem; "The Water Quality Cycle - River to Faucet to River" (August 19 and 21), with Bob Bohannan discussing how activities at both the regional and local levels influence the river, our drinking water, and wastewater management; and "Gongoozling with USACE" (August 26 and 28), in which Anthony Heddlesten details how the lock system operates, why the system was built, and information on the maintenance and upkeep required to keep it running for more than 90 years.
Riverine Walk participants explore the Quad Cities through a series of guided strolls through various area locales, with the August Riverine Walks series featuring: "Russel Farnham & Farnhamsburg" (August 6 and 9), Gena Schantz's program on adventurer and world traveler Farnham, an early pioneer in Rock Island associated with the American Fur Company; "Fish Passage Through Our Lock & Dam, and Other Interesting River Stories" (August 13 and 16), in which Jeremiah Haas will discuss how fish are able to traverse our waterways, including through our lock and dams, as well as other relevant issues concerning the Mississippi River; "Notorious Nahant & Spooky Marsh Tales" (August 20 and 23), executive director Brian Ritter's fascinating presentation on train robberies, mysterious deaths, bandits, brothels, and other Nahant Marsh mysteries; and "Wild Abandon: A Native Roots Yard in the City" (August 27 and 30), Rita Rawson's deep dive into a Native Roots Yard where nature is at its best, the location being a certified Monarch Waystation, certified Wildlife Habitat, and certified Pollinator Habitat.
Channel Cat Talks take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 a.m. and are $20 per person, while Riverine Walks are held on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m., with admission $10 per person. For more information on these “Explore the River Series” presentations, call (563)322-2969 and visit RiverAction.org.
