About the Mississippi River Water Action Collaborative

Catalyzing Collective Impact in the Mississippi River Basin

Launched in 2023, MRWAC is a network of stakeholders working together to implement large-scale water stewardship solutions. With representation from five Mississippi River basins, MRWAC provides a platform for organizations to align efforts in tackling water quantity, quality, and accessibility challenges. By participating, stakeholders contribute to a shared vision for the basin’s long-term sustainability and resilience.

Shared Water Challenges

The Mississippi basin is vital to economic activity, natural resources, and ecosystems but faces significant water challenges. MRWAC focuses on addressing the following critical water challenges:

Nutrient, sediment, and chemical pollution
Groundwater contamination
Groundwater depletion
More frequent and severe floods and droughts
Increasing water demand
Disparities in water access linked to historical underinvestment

Without a coordinated, watershed-wide approach, decision-making in the Mississippi River Basin will remain fragmented, and funding will remain inconsistent. Strengthening collaboration and securing sustained investment are critical to enhancing the basin’s long-term resilience.

The Collaborative Model

To meet these challenges, the Mississippi River Water Action Collaborative (MRWAC) is working to implement large-scale water stewardship solutions across the Mississippi River Basin. Projects can range from wetland restoration, sustainable agriculture practices, green infrastructure improvements, urban water efficiency, and more.

Inspired by successful models like the California Water Resilience Initiative, and the California and Texas Water Action Collaboratives, MRWAC serves as a central hub for aligning efforts, accelerating project implementation, and driving measurable impact across the basin. By integrating public and private sector initiatives, MRWAC bridges gaps in governance, funding, and project execution. This approach transforms individual efforts into collective action, strengthening resilience and sustainability across the basin.

MRWAC and the Mississippi River Water Partnership

MRWAC is aligned with the broader goals of the Mississippi River Watershed Partnership, which coordinates programmatic activities and funding across the watershed. This partnership engages all levels of government alongside community, industry, and NGO leaders to mobilize resources and drive systemic change. Through these collaborative efforts, MRWAC aims to catalyze innovative financing mechanisms, build cross-sector partnerships, and foster scalable solutions.

As MRWAC grows, we will continue to share updates on new projects and initiatives that advance our mission.