A recent series of six public meetings held along the Upper Mississippi allowed for various stakeholders to discuss flooding, sediment, and drought management.

Organized by the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, these public listening sessions set a great example for incorporating local ideas and local action into a future regional resilience plan for the River. Comments can still be submitted here.

Our St. Louis, MO regional Outreach Coordinator, Kristen Mertz, attended the Cape Girardeau meeting. Kristen shares key takeaways and observations in her latest blog.

Without further ado, we welcome you to visit our revitalized www.1mississippi.org website! From upcoming events, advocacy actions, and education on key issues and opportunities facing the River, this website is a one-stop-shop for River Citizens and beyond! 

Special shout-out to True East Media for the stellar support and expertise in creating this enhanced, user-friendly website! We are proud to offer this site to the River community!

So, please check out the site and email feedback, questions, and upcoming events you'd like to share to info@1mississippi.org.

Together, we are 1 Mississippi!

One of the pillars of the 1 Mississippi program is to serve those who are looking to engage with, learn more about, and take action for the Mississippi River. We are fortunate to welcome Wisconsin-native, Chris Stangl, to our Mississippi River Network Outreach team!

Chris (a lifelong advocate and Mississippi River educator) is based out of Dubuque, IA with regional host, the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, and works the Iowa/Wisconsin region. Get to know Chris in his latest blog! If you live in the region, feel free to send an email to chris@1mississippi.org to get connected.

The year 2019 has been marked with progress for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Congress approved permanent authorization for the LWCF in February, ensuring that the law will not expire. But guaranteed funding for the LWCF remains to be done. 

Since 1964, the LWCF has helped create and improve thousands of projects across the country, including along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Many of the public lands and waters funded by the LWCF are also provide support on two priority issues: Natural Flood Infrastructure and Nutrient Pollution Reduction. 

We've highlighted some key examples of Mississippi River-related LWCF funded programs. Check them out here.

On October 20, the Mississippi River Relay of Voices project marked their arrival at Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a reception at the Water Institute of the Gulf.

Tom and Victoria Styrbicki met with family, friends, and supporters of the project, among them Mississippi River Network staff, to mark their progress on reaching the final phase of their journey to the Mississippi's mouth. The team intends to arrive in the Gulf of Mexico around November 5 after running the length of the River and collecting stories and testimonials of people they've met who live with the Mississippi River as an important part of their work and habitation. 

A mighty Mississippi congratulations to Relay of Voices - we're grateful to be a thread in what y'all are weaving. Congrats!

Thank you!

Thanks for reading this edition of the River Citizen Newsletter! We aim to keep you up to date on happenings up and down the Mississippi from federal policy to local engagement opportunities. If you enjoyed, forward this email to a friend today!

For the River,

Michael Anderson, 1 Mississippi newsletter curator