Missouri River Relief

The organization emerged organically from a group of people in mid-Missouri who simultaneously recognized the need for engaged stewardship of the Missouri River and the desire of citizens to take part in watershed solutions. Inspired by a video of Chad Pregracke's Living Lands and Waters barge clean-up crew, this group of Missouri River lovers put together a coalition of public, private and citizen stewards that brought the barge up the river, holding the first massive Missouri River clean-up at Easley, MO, in 2001. Since that time, the organization has grown each year. To date, MRR has hosted 133 Missouri River clean-ups, bringing 21,005 volunteers to clean 801 tons of trash from 1,031 miles of the river. We have participated in and hosted clean-ups in eight states, from the Mississippi River to Yankton, S.D. In addition, the organization promoted local river education through 300+ outreach projects, aiming to build public awareness, action and support for a healthy river.