Listen: In Milwaukee, the first thing that comes to mind when most folks think "water" is our massive, dominant body of water -- Lake Michigan. However, our rivers not only feed the lake, but they're also a major reason Milwaukee was built where it stands (at the confluence of three rivers!). Recognizing the importance of all our waterways, Milwaukee Riverkeeper works to protect water quality and wildlife habitat in our river corridors.
When I called them up and asked them to show me what they do, they were eager to give me an up close look. And the best way to see what they do is...
Riding on a boat! Cheryl Nenn of Milwaukee Riverkeeper took me out on the appropriately named Milwaukee Riverkeeper to check out the Kinnikinnick River where we talked a little river:
Cheryl and I touched on a number of topics while out on the boat, especially regarding the specific dangers the river's facing, but I wanted to devote a bulk of the piece to a key part of Milwaukee Riverkeeper's mission -- getting people out to enjoy the river. It's that first step that'll get you hooked. I sure didn't know how beautiful that stretch of the KK river could be. In fact, below, I've did a first for me -- I'm not a photographer by any means, but I was able to take so many striking pictures on the boat, I had to share some of the highlights. The whole trip felt like we were inside of a Charles Sheeler painting...
To learn more about Milwaukee Riverkeeper, check out their website! Also they have plenty of events, and they're getting towards the end of cleanup season, so check out their calendar and clean some river with them!