Annually, the US Army Corps of Engineers selects a single partner to bestow the national Excellence in Partnership (EIP) Award. The EIP Award recognizes exceptional contributions by a partner supporting the recreation and environmental stewardship programs within the Corps of Engineers.

At the Audubon Center at Riverlands’ annual “Ahhh-dubon” event on July 3, the award was presented to the Mississippi River Water Trail Association (MRWTA) by the St. Louis District USACE Commander, Col. Pannier. The MRWTA is a St. Louis-based group made up entirely of volunteers who are passionate about developing safe recreation opportunities on the Mississippi River.

Since forming in 2005, MRWTA has contributed over 20,000 volunteer hours by providing skills training and public paddling events, promoting water safety, picking up trash, and bringing together people and organizations who want to recreate on big rivers and their backwater sloughs.

The trail itself is 120 miles long and includes camping spots on several Mississippi River islands and many hidden gems to explore along the way.

“People often have strong opinions about the river without ever actually getting on or near the water,” said Katelynn Oreto, Natural Resources Specialist with the USACE Rivers Project.

“The Water Trail Association, and the many partnering organizations they’ve helped bring together, have given thousands of people the opportunity to see for themselves what the river has to offer and hopefully instill a sense of respect and responsibility for its stewardship.”

What makes the MRWTA worthy of national recognition? “This partnership serves as a blueprint for all the good that can come when people and organizations rally around a shared mission.” Oreto said. “These volunteers are critical to recreational programs on our stretch of the river. They’re passionate, they show up to make things happen, and they deserve all the recognition we can give them.”

“We are very honored to be the 2024 national recipient of the Excellence in Partnership Award”, said Melissa Sauter, President of the Mississippi River Water Trail Association. “We are also very thankful of our many fantastic volunteers, as well as the support we receive from USACE Rangers at the Rivers Projects Office. With the dedication of both we have created unique amenities and exciting paddling opportunities for new and experienced paddlers on the mid-Mississippi River.”

“We invite those who want to learn how to safely paddle on big rivers to take one of our skill clinics, participate in our organized paddling events, clean up a Water Trail site, join in Great Rivers Rendezvous, or compete in our annual Firecracker Race,” said Craig Heaton, a longtime MRWTA board member. “Once you have recreated in and around the Mississippi River, you will see that our big rivers are an incredible recreational resource that can be safely enjoyed.”

The Rivers Project Office is located at 301 Riverlands Way, West Alton, Missouri.

For more information, contact the Rivers Project at 636-899-2600 or visit here to learn more about the Mississippi River Water Trail Association.

Top image: MRWTA members with their award. (Courtesy of the MRWTA)