Thank you to all of you who attended our 13th Annual Dinner in October. The chance to gather with like-minded river friends, old and new, is one of the highlights of the year for our staff and board members.
Please visit our flickr site for more pictures of our staff, board of directors, members and friends celebrating our rivers at the Annual Dinner.
Prairie Rivers Network is now accepting applications for the following two positions:
Water Resources Specialist – Invasive Species
Water Resources Specialist – Habitat Conservation
Click here for more information.
Prairie Rivers Network is now participating in Schnucks’ eScript Customer Card Program.
If you are already using a Schnucks Customer Card for Fuel Rewards, you may register that card to earn money for Prairie Rivers Network by calling (800) 931-6258. The Schnucks eScrip Customer Card may be used to generate both contributions to PRN and Fuel Rewards (where available).
Prairie Rivers Network’s group ID for the Schnucks’ program is 500024645.
If you don’t already have a Schnuck’s Customer/eScript card, pick one up at participating Schnucks store locations. Present the card every time you shop and Schnucks contributes a percentage of your monthly purchase amount to Prairie Rivers Network.
View PRN’s Prairie River Notes – Summer 2010 Newsletter (pdf) with the following articles:
So urgent is the coal ash pollution problem in Illinois that Prairie Rivers Network is taking the unusual step of issuing a special appeal to members and friends for financial donations to help us considerably increase our work on coal-ash issues and other coal-related problems.
An anonymous donor has pledged up to $15,000 to help Prairie Rivers Network in this work. This challenge grant will match, dollar-for-dollar, new and increased contributions. We need these new contributions by August 31, 2010.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Donations are processed through Network for Good, a secure online donation processing service for nonprofits.
Anonymous donations are available.
For more information on our coal work, click here.
Rain garden with native plants
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 19, 2010
CHAMPAIGN, IL — Prairie Rivers Network has been awarded a 2010 Environmental Grant from Illinois American Water. The grant will help fund a new stormwater outreach campaign called “Reining in the Rain in Champaign,” which was launched this month. Prairie Rivers Network will be working on this campaign with the City of Champaign, the John Street Watershed Steering Committee, the Washington Street East Watershed Steering Committee, and the Washington Street West Watershed Steering Committee.
“Prairie Rivers Network is excited to be working with Champaign residents and City staff to help address flooding problems and educate the public about alternative ways to manage the stormwater that causes flooding,” according to Stacy James, Water Resources Scientist for Prairie Rivers Network.
Many local neighborhoods experience significant flooding problems that cause property damage and sewage overflows. In particular, the John Street and Washington Street neighborhoods in Champaign have recently seen significant increases in flooding and wet basements. Residents can help reduce the amount of water that floods streets and storm sewers by getting more rainwater and snowmelt to soak into the ground on their own properties. Two things that residents can do at home are to install rain gardens and rain barrels.
As part of Reining in the Rain, three rain gardens will be built in the John and Washington Street neighborhoods during 2010. The selection of the rain garden locations is currently underway. 50 rain barrels will also be given away at no cost to residents.
Established in 2005, the Illinois American Water Environmental Grant Program offers funds for innovative, community-based environmental projects in our local communities. “The Environmental Grant Program has been very successful in helping local organizations carry out meaningful, sustainable initiatives that benefit our watersheds,” said Karla Olson Teasley, president of Illinois American Water. “Again this year, the grant recipients exemplify the type of environmental stewardship in which we are proud to partner to better protect our drinking water resources.”
Prairie Rivers Network is Illinois’ statewide river conservation organization and the state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. Information about Prairie Rivers Network can be found online at www.prairierivers.org.
