Mississippi River Watershed Partnership

The Mississippi River Watershed Partnership (MRWP) brings together organizations, agencies, and communities across the watershed to tackle shared challenges and opportunities. Convened by America’s Watershed Initiative (AWI) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the partnership provides a collaborative space to align efforts, share knowledge, and advance solutions that no single group could achieve alone.

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About The Partnership

The goal of the MRWP is to build a diverse and robust coalition toward whole watershed solutions. Building on existing initiatives, this coalition will act with a unified voice to generate broad support and dedicated funding to catalyze action and improve the health of the Mississippi River watershed.

Why This Matters Now

The Mississippi River watershed is a lifeline for millions of Americans and unhealthy conditions have far reaching implications. Every action in the watershed creates real consequences for communities, economies and livelihoods.

Pollutants threaten drinking water for 20 million people. Floods and droughts are happening more frequently. Deteriorating infrastructure compromises safe navigation. The cost of these consequences are mounting every day. Without a shared effort to improve conditions at scale, these challenges become insurmountable.

The Mississippi River Watershed Partnership (MRWP) was created to realize this shared effort. We know that rivers are linear systems and changes made in one part of the watershed affect the rest of the system. This is why a collaborative, whole watershed approach is needed.

Partners and Leadership

The Partnership includes nonprofits, academic institutions, community organizations, industry, and government agencies working at local, regional, and national levels. The Leadership Council serves as the Partnership’s primary governing body, providing strategic direction, guiding decision-making, and ensuring the Partnership’s work advances its mission while remaining aligned with ongoing efforts across the Mississippi River watershed. America’s Watershed Initiative (AWI) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) support the partnership as convening organizations, helping to facilitate collaboration and coordination across this diverse group of partners. Together, these partners bring the expertise, relationships, and commitment needed to make lasting change.

Focus Areas

The MRWP focuses on five key areas: Fish and Wildlife, Floods and Droughts, Navigation, Recreation, and Water Quality. We know these issues are deeply connected—what affects one often impacts the others. That’s why, in addition to the five focus areas, we also highlight cross-cutting goals and actions that link them together and strengthen the health of the whole watershed.

Fish and Wildlife

The Mississippi River watershed provides habitat for hundreds of species of fish, birds, and other wildlife. Protecting and restoring these ecosystems ensures biodiversity, healthy food webs, and thriving communities that depend on them.

Flood and Drought

Communities along the river face increasing risks from both floods and droughts. By working together, we can reduce vulnerabilities, improve resilience, and protect people, infrastructure, and ecosystems.

Navigation

The Mississippi River is a vital inland navigation system, moving agricultural products, energy resources, and goods that support communities across the nation. Strengthening this system ensures reliable transportation, economic growth, and global competitiveness.

Recreation

From fishing and paddling to hiking and birdwatching, the Mississippi River and its tributaries provide countless opportunities to connect with nature. Expanding safe and equitable access helps more people enjoy and care for the river.

Water Quality

Clean water is essential for people, wildlife, and economies throughout the watershed. Reducing pollution and improving water quality safeguards drinking water, recreation, and ecological health for future generations.

Cross-Cutting

Some goals and actions support more than one focus area, such as improving data, fostering collaboration, or building community capacity. These cross-cutting efforts strengthen connections across the watershed and help ensure that progress in one area benefits many others.