News & Updates
Recent updates from America’s Watershed Initiative.News & Updates
Recent updates from America’s Watershed Initiative.AWI Newsletter: April-June 2026
River Connections Meeting Brings Science and Partnership Together
America’s Watershed Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense Fund, and Tulane’s Department of River-Coastal Science and Engineering brought together more than 250 researchers, practitioners, agency staff, nonprofit leaders, and watershed stakeholders for “River Connections: A Science and Partnership Meeting” in New Orleans. The three-day event represented one of the largest gatherings focused on the Mississippi River Watershed in recent years and marked an important milestone in connecting science, management, and collaborative action across the basin.
Connecting Science Across the Watershed
The meeting began with presentations and discussions focused on five key issue areas identified by the Mississippi River Watershed Partnership: conserving fish and wildlife, enhancing recreation, improving water quality, mitigating floods and droughts, and sustaining inland navigation. Participants shared emerging research, successful projects, and lessons learned from across the basin, creating opportunities to connect expertise and identify common challenges that transcend state and sector boundaries.
Identifying Critical Knowledge Needs
On the second day, participants shifted from sharing science to identifying the knowledge and information needed to support better decision-making. Through facilitated discussions, attendees explored critical questions, data gaps, and opportunities to better connect research with implementation. These conversations helped identify priorities for future collaboration and highlighted the value of integrating perspectives from across disciplines and regions of the watershed.
Advancing Collective Action
The final day focused on translating ideas into action through the Mississippi River Watershed Partnership. Participants explored opportunities to advance partnership roadmaps, learned about the partnership’s new leadership and committee structure, and identified ways to engage in future work. The meeting also marked the launch of the partnership’s committee system, creating new pathways for partners to contribute expertise and help guide watershed-scale initiatives.
River Connections demonstrated the growing momentum behind a collaborative, watershed-wide approach to addressing the Mississippi River’s most pressing challenges. By bringing together science, management, and partnership development in a single forum, the meeting strengthened relationships, identified priorities for future work, and reinforced a shared commitment to improving the health and resilience of the Mississippi River Watershed.
Mississippi River Watershed Partnership Establishes Leadership Council
The Mississippi River Watershed Partnership (MRWP or Partnership) has reached an important milestone with the establishment of its new Leadership Council, strengthening the Partnership’s ability to advance coordinated, watershed-wide action.
Comprised of 25 seats representing diverse regions, sectors, and areas of expertise across the Mississippi River Watershed, the Leadership Council will provide strategic direction, guide long-term priorities, and help ensure Partnership activities remain aligned with the shared needs of communities, organizations, and stakeholders throughout the watershed. Members represent government, academia, nonprofits, industry, and other key partners, reflecting MRWP’s commitment to collaborative and inclusive leadership.
The Council will help shape the Partnership’s roadmaps, coordinate efforts across committees, and monitor progress toward improving the health and resilience of the Mississippi River Watershed. Learn more about the Leadership Council and its members on the MRWP Leadership Council webpage.
The Partnership is convened by AWI in partnership with The Nature Conservancy.
Feeding Curiosity: AWI Lunch and Learn Highlights
Our Lunch and Learn webinars continue to draw strong interest and spark meaningful conversation.
Miss one? Recordings are available on our YouTube channel and on our website’s Webinar Library.
April
Implications of Water Loss from the Lowermost Mississippi River
Watch here
May
Planting for Impact: How Farmers Reduce Nutrient & Sediment Loss in the Mississippi River Basin
Megan Dwyer presented a brief look at how Illinois corn growers integrate practical, field-level decisions at planting like cover crops, reduced tillage, and precision nutrient management to reduce nutrient and sediment loss across the Mississippi River Basin while navigating real-world challenges like weather variability, tight margins, and operational complexity.
Watch here
June
Using Chatbots to Collect Data on Visitor Perceptions of the Mississippi River
Watch here
AWI’s Gulf Scholars Interns
This spring and summer, America’s Watershed Initiative (AWI) is proud to host three interns from Tulane University’s Gulf Scholars Program, an interdisciplinary initiative that prepares undergraduate students to address complex environmental and community challenges through hands-on learning, research, and partnerships.
We look forward to seeing the impact they will continue to make in the Mississippi River Watershed and beyond!.
A Fresh Look for America’s Watershed Initiative
America’s Watershed Initiative (AWI) is proud to unveil a new logo that reflects the organization’s continued growth and evolving role in advancing collaborative solutions across the Mississippi River Watershed.
As AWI continues to grow its partnerships and expand its work across the Mississippi River Watershed, our new visual identity represents the collaboration and connectivity that drive our mission. While our look has evolved, our commitment to advancing whole-watershed solutions and bringing diverse voices together remains unchanged.
Keep an eye out for the new logo as it rolls out across our website, social media (@americaswatershed on Instagram and Facebook), and communications. We look forward to continuing this work and building a healthier, stronger watershed with all of our partners.
America’s Watershed Initiative is building a future where science guides decisions and collaboration drives results. Join us in protecting and celebrating the Mississippi River Watershed. Visit https://americaswatershed.org/