Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program

Project Goals

Historically, there have been significant human-caused environmental impacts along the Mississippi River, unfortunately only minimal environmental restoration activities have occurred. The Illinois portion of the river has been no exception to this poor situation. Although there have been noteworthy but relatively modest and spotty restoration works ongoing since the mid-1980s, without a major increase in long-term restoration efforts virtually every river system expert believes the river will further degrade.

The primary focus of the Prairie Rivers Network (PRN) program will be upon increasing awareness and improving conditions for restoration activities to occur along the Mississippi and Illinois River's area within Illinois. Our program dedicates a River Restoration Coordinator specifically to organizing others to accomplish the goals related to improving river restoration in the state.

PRN will network within the Upper Mississippi River system (UMRS) and work within the state to promote an engaged and mobilized citizenry on behalf of the river system and restoration; to educate and seek the support of decision makers within the state; to seek increased funding to support restoration efforts; and to press for protection and restoration of wetlands, side channels, and wildlife corridors as the priority in forums where decisions regarding planning for and expenditure of restoration dollars are being decided.

Geographically we will focus our efforts on both a local and state level. At the local level we will be working with local people and organizations to improve the river environment within their area. At the state level we will concentrate upon increasing the awareness and involvement of state and regional organizations in regards to the UMRS.

For more information, please visit:

UMRB Background

Environmental Management Program (EMP)

Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP)

Organization Links

Newsletters

UMR Education Program