June 2019–Frank Morton named AWI Executive Director.
Watch a recent webinar for the latest AWI updates. (Note: You must register to view the recording.)
America’s Watershed Initiative
Uniting people, land & water across 31 states.
America’s Watershed Initiative (AWI) is a collaboration working with hundreds of business, government, academic, and civic organizations to find solutions for the challenges of managing the Mississippi River and the more than 250 rivers that flow into it. Only by working together—coordinated, focused and for the long term—will we make meaningful progress to raise the grades for America’s Watershed, for our future, and for our children’s future.
See more updates in the AWI casebook.
The Mississippi River Watershed IS America's Watershed

Benefitting people and nature
America’s Watershed Initiative Report Card
America’s Watershed Initiative is a collaboration that seeks solutions for meeting the multiple demands placed on the vast and complex Mississippi watershed system by integrating issues, partners and ideas at the full watershed scale.
It seeks to build and implement a vision based on collaboration and mutually beneficial outcomes in contrast to single purpose advocacy. It builds upon strong leadership present in many tributary watersheds. America’s Watershed also seeks to link and augment these efforts, creating a broader partnership that can serve as a unified voice for the whole system, and support the effective resolution of issues that span multiple regions—issues such as energy, transportation, water quality and floodplain management.
- Build recognition among regional and national leaders about the importance of the watershed and the need for integrated management.
- Establish an enduring, public-private facilitating entity to connect existing institutions and stakeholders and harness the best science in service of a shared vision and more integrated management of the watershed.
- Develop and report on measures that indicate progress toward achieving the sustainable management and system-wide health of America’s Watershed.
- Elevate local and regional projects that demonstrate effective collaboration and integrated strategies that help achieve system-level objectives.
- Network with river commissions and similar entities in North America and globally, establishing America’s Watershed as a hub for sharing knowledge and best practices related to the management of large rivers and their watersheds.
America’s Watershed Initiative is made up of a variety of businesses, organizations, basin associations and government leaders working together who all care about the Mississippi River watershed. In 2018, AWI formed a separate nonprofit corporation and has applied to the IRS for 501(c)(3) status.