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UMR NGO Engagement
I wrote about the Ikes and working with other River Non Profit conservation organizations in the spring GRS article, “Ikes, NGO’s, and the River: A New Era of Citizen Engagement (Spring 2026)”. Since then the work has proceeded…
The Courage to Create Change: An Ike's Perceptions of Navigation Maintenance Policy
This is a big topic and is difficult to enter as my mind relives the ongoing controversies and confrontations around expanding commercial navigation dating back to the 1970s, building in intensity until the Corps released their draft navigation report during the late ‘90s…
We Are the Ikes
The Izaak Walton League of America holds a deeply personal relationship with the nation's waters and outdoors, engaging in paddling, youth fishing events, and critical conversations about our waters, wetlands, water quality, agriculture, and of course the river and its wing dams, sedimentation, and navigation…
The River We Have Sought: A River’s Mortality
This title echoes the profound legacies of John Anfinfinson’s The River We Have Wrought and Cal Fremling’s Immortal River. Both books are essential chronicles of the river’s history, cultural significance, and the economic policies…
Ikes, NGO’s, and the River: A New Era of Citizen Engagement (Spring 2026)
For decades, the direction of river management—the debate over which ecological needs should be prioritized and where specific infrastructure projects should be situated—has been the near-exclusive domain of Federal and State agencies…
Wing Dams: Reshaping the River
Wing and closing dams on the Upper Mississippi are a favorite haunt for many species of fish and favorite places for thousands of people fishing for bass and walleye. They can also be the nemesis for the novice boater who…