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On October 28, LWV UMRR hosted a discussion on the protection of public waters through education, restorative action and litigation. The video of this program follows. In this video, you will learn how the Upper Mississippi River Driftless Area was formed (not by glaciers!) and how this unique landform is susceptible to pollution from CAFOs and modern row crop practices that threaten our public waters. And learn, too, about new efforts underway to bring about change. This program is both educational and inspirational! This video features Cameron Aker from Trout Unlimited talking about water protection in the Karst region through education and cooperative projects, and Jim Larew from Driftless Water Defenders talking about the litigation they are doing to put more teeth into protecting water. Jim Larew's talk starts at about 31 minutes in the video, and a summary is available on the LWV UMRR blog at this link. Trout Unlimited is a conservation group working with land owners to restore trout habitat. Their Driftless Area Restoration Effort (TUDARE) focuses on restoring trout streams with an added side benefit of improving water quality and diversity of other creatures besides trout. They do this by working with private landowners, farmers, conservation advocates and government agencies to restore and conserve our cold-water resources. Cameron Aker, Trout Unlimited's Engagement Coordinator, will talk about the geology, agricultural practices and cold-water resources in the Driftless Region and similar karst landscapes in Missouri. Like the Driftless Area, Missouri's Ozark region is characterized by thin topsoil and exhibits sinkholes, streams that sink into the ground and extensive caves. Jim Larew is with Driftless Water Defenders, a group that started in Iowa and and is shaking up the water world there. Driftless Water Defenders is a non-profit Iowa environmental law and advocacy organization founded in May 2024 and focused on reducing farm-related water pollution and pollution-caused threats to public health in the Driftless Area of northeast Iowa, and statewide. The DWD got started because some Iowans decided enough is enough, and it’s time to confront head-on industrialized agriculture’s assault on our water resources. Driftless Water Defenders is intent on changing public policy, engaging citizens and, when necessary, litigating matters to protect and enhance Iowans’ access to clean water for personal, business and recreational purposes. Driftless Water Defenders manages a comprehensive program of focused litigation, persistent public engagement, and effective fund-raising to accomplish its mission.
Cameron Aker, Engagement Coordinator, Trout Unlimited Driftless Area Restoration
conservation focused groups, including Trout Unlimited, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association. Cameron and his wife Vivian live in Ames, Iowa. They enjoy hiking, canoeing, camping, and many trips to the beautiful Driftless Region of Iowa together. Cameron also enjoys hunting, fly fishing, and fly tying, whenever possible. Cameron started with Trout Unlimited in mid-April of 2024 and is connecting Trout Unlimited with many partner groups and visiting potential project sites with landowners. Cameron has also been working with the Iowa Trout Unlimited Chapters to build momentum with the Wise H2O project on water quality and listening to concerns and ideas around member engagement. Cameron was a guest on the Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast - click here to listen in and learn about his work! Cameron's talk starts at about 39 minutes. James Larew, Esq. - Registered agent for Driftless Water Defenders and Attorney at law
From 2007-2011, Jim was called to serve as General Counsel to Iowa Governor Chet Culver, and also served as Policy Director and Chief of Staff in the Office of Governor.
Upon his return to private practice, Jim expanded his general law practice in Iowa City to include an office in Des Moines. He broadened the focus of his law practice to include advocating for the interest of Iowa policy holders against insurance companies who acted in bad faith; against environmental polluters; and against owners of nursing homes and care facilities who injured residents through indifference or neglect.
 Credit: G.Sabel, Oct 7, 2020, when the river level was low and you could walk on the river bottom The Project: The Upper Lock and the land around it is currently owned by the federal government via the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Upper Lock was constructed in 1959 to allow commercial barges to navigate over the Falls, upriver to Upper Harbor Terminal. The Lock closed to commercial navigation in 2015 to halt the upriver spread of invasive carp. For more than 60 years, this iconic site on Minneapolis’s Central Riverfront has been fenced off with limited public access. The site is a barrier, not a gateway, to the River. The vision for Owámniyomni is to transform five acres at the Upper Lock into a place of healing, restoration, education, and connection. The river will be made accessible to people from its bank, so all people can touch the water without impediment, and the area along the riverbanks will be transformed from hardscapes to tall grass prairie, lowland forest, oak savannah, and traditional plants. The project is now in Season Two, with work projected to be complete in this part of the transformation by the end of 2027. The Goal: Owámniyomni Okhódayapi's goal is to create a place where Native and non-Native people feel welcome; where Dakota history, language, and culture are visible and celebrated; and where communities can come together to heal. Done right, this process can provide a model for how non-profits, municipalities, and other entities can respectfully partner with Tribal Nations and honor their inherent sovereignty.
The Mississippi is a river and is ever changing as flood and drought shape the river and it's relationship to the land along it's banks. Owámniyomni Okhódayapi's website shows pictures of the river as it was when Europeans first arrived in what is now called Minneapolis, and how the area changed over the years to meet the demands of the growing industry there. Dams were built and rebuilt, with tunnels and raceways to harness the power of the river to run lumber and grain mills. To Native people, these activities were a desecration, incompatible with a world view in which the River is a spirit and a mother, and in which all living natural things are our relatives. The project being undertaken here will bring back Dakota values to this area and begin the process of healing.
In this video, our speakers talked about watershed restoration and how natural infrastructure is so much more effective at flood control than constructed dams, impoundments and hardscapes. An interesting Q&A followed, moderated by Jenny Whidden, Climate and Environment reporter from the Daily Herald and brief remarks by Illinois State Senator Laura Ellman, author of recent legislation to protect Illinois wetlands left unregulated by the Sackett decision. Each speaker started out by discussing their journey to becoming a water resource professional and the watersheds they are tied to. The organizations represented in this event, and the people who represented them: LWV UMRR - Gretchen Sabel, Communications Director DuPage County Stormwater Division - Sarah Hunn, Director, DuPage County Stormwater Management Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Eric Neidy, Director of Natural Resources SCARCE - Kay McKeen, Founder and President Above: Sarah Hunn, Kay McKeen and Eric Neidy
ILLINOIS, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!  Of the streams that Illinois EPA has assessed for water quality conditions from 2020–2022:
This campaign that aims to change the way Illinois thinks about and cares for its water. Starting in southern Illinois and working their way north, PRN will support downstream communities by listening to their concerns and helping to identify and implement locally-informed solutions and financial resources. Through these efforts, PRN will support communities as they build climate resiliency and advance their vision for the future. Clean Water Forever starts with telling the truth about the water quality crisis in the Midwest and ends with finding long-term solutions to protect Illinois communities. Robert Hirschfeld is the Director of Water Policy for the Prairie Rivers Network. The Prairie Rivers Network is based in Champaign, Illinois.
Illinois’ communities, rivers, and habitat. He also works on many of PRN’s communications and social media campaigns, and he produces videos and podcasts. Background: Robert joined PRN in March 2011. Before joining the professional staff, Robert was a legal intern for PRN, working on Clean Water Act compliance and enforcement. Robert sometimes dabbles in music. Education: B.A. in religion and Asian studies from the University of Puget Sound and a J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law About the Prairie Rivers Network:
The Prairie Rivers Network works to protect water, heal land and inspire change, using the creative power of science, law, and collective action. Prairie Rivers Network is the independent, state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. You can read the PRN 2020-2024 Strategic Plan for more information on their mission and vision for Illinois’ rivers and streams. Here are links to information about PRN's organization: MISSION & HISTORY ACCOMPLISHMENTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS STAFF |
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