Maunesha River Alliance

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Marshall, WI
Maunesha River Alliance

Join the MRA as a Chapter of the Rock River Coalition.

Find out more at https://www.mauneshariveralliance.org/home or RockRiverCoalition.org for Chapter and Affiliate Events. The MRA chooses to concentrate on river monitoring, conservation, invasive species removal, and community action encouraging active use and enjoyment of the Maunesha River Watershed.

07/14/2026

The Maunesha River Alliance pulled off another productive workday on Saturday, July 11. Six volunteers gathered at the Cherry Lane bridge just outside of Marshall, planning to paddle all the way to Whisper's Roadhouse. It didn’t take long for the day’s challenge to show up. Almost immediately after launching, the crew hit the largest logjam of the trip...an early sign that a long day was ahead. After nearly an hour of hard work dismantling that first barrier, though, things started to look up.

Over the course of four hours, the team tackled two more major blockages that required everyone’s help, plus six smaller ones that two or three people could handle. By the end of the day, nine blockages had been cleared. They also trimmed back brush and took care of several line-of-sight issues, making the river a little friendlier for future paddlers.

Once the last big logjam was out of the way, the group was feeling the heat...literally. After hours of paddling and clearing debris, everyone was ready for a break. Luckily, Whisper's Roadhouse was waiting at the finish line, with a new takeout area, ice-cold drinks, and pizza to recharge everyone’s spirits.

There’s nothing else on the MRA work schedule at the moment, but we’ll be adding at least one more workday in August. Keep an eye on our page for updates.

And here’s the best part.
By clearing every blockage from Cherry Lane to Whisper's Roadhouse, the MRA and its volunteers have opened up even more of the Maunesha River for canoers and kayakers. The Maunesha is now open from the dam in Marshall to Firemen's Park in Waterloo, a 10.2 mile stretch that can take anywhere from three to five hours. If you’re looking for a shorter trip, you can launch at Whisper's Roadhouse and head to Firemen's Park instead, which is about 2.9 miles and takes roughly two hours. For even more flexibility, there are informal launch spots at the Waterloo Road bridge in Marshall and at Cherry Lane (just follow Canal Rd. to reach the latter). These launches are a bit rustic, and you won’t find detailed info about them on the MRA trip map (check the comments for the map), but they do give you more options to customize your outing. Just a heads up: water levels are pretty low right now, but our crew managed just fine on July 11.

If you have questions before your trip, don’t hesitate to reach out to the MRA. And if you run into any problems on the river, please snap a photo and share it with us. Happy paddling!

06/21/2026

The Maunesha River Alliance enjoyed another successful day on the water, marking their first paddling cleanup since early May. After a promising scouting trip, the group decided to move Saturday’s workday (June 20) location from Waterloo to just outside Marshall. Seven volunteers set out in four double canoes and one solo canoe, with help from the folks at Capitol Water Trails. As soon as they launched at the Waterloo Road bridge, the crew got right to work, removing several large logs that completely blocked canoe access. With the first major obstruction out of the way, they had just seven more to go.

After clearing the Waterloo Road bridge, the volunteers paddled about 200 yards before hitting another trouble spot. They cleared this second blockage, and the pattern repeated (six more times) until they finally reached their take-out point at the Cherry Lane bridge, four hours later.

The day was both productive and enjoyable. The weather was perfect, and although the challenges were significant, they were manageable, and the group managed them well. In addition to removing eight major blockages that prevented travel downriver, the volunteers addressed line-of-sight issues, widened existing passages, picked up trash, and generally did whatever was needed to improve the paddling experience.

With eight blockages cleared in four hours, the team wrapped up their efficient workday with a well-earned lunch and social hour at The Fox Bar & Grille in Marshall. There, they recapped the day’s efforts and discussed plans for upcoming projects.

The next workday is scheduled for July 11, with a new starting point at the Cherry Lane bridge, to address issues around the Socha Conservancy. Volunteers should meet at the Cherry Lane bridge at 9am. On this day, the Alliance will again partner with Capitol Water Trails, aiming to reach Whisper’s Roadhouse in under four hours while clearing blockages along the way.

There’s also a “Favor For a Neighbor” workday with Steve Falter of Capitol Water Trails coming up. Those interested can meet at the Token Creek Conservancy (6394 Portage Rd) at 9am on June 27 to lend a hand.

Finally, the Maunesha River is open for paddling! Kayakers can launch in Marshall and paddle to the Cherry Lane bridge without any issues, or start at Whisper’s Roadhouse and go all the way to Waterloo Firemen's Park. The only known issues exist between Cherry Lane and the nearby Socha Conservancy. With several stretches of open water to explore, now’s a great time to get out on the Maunesha River. Happy paddling!

06/15/2026

That was one great day!
Five MRA volunteers met up at McKay Nursery Company on Sunday (June 14) with the goal of removing several large blockages in the river. The crew eliminated the first snarl in less than an hour, before tackling the mother of all logjams. The huge jam proved to be too big for the group's saws, so the focus changed to widening the passable area on the north side of the blockage. With that accomplished, the volunteers scouted out another problem area on the land. Although the high water level hindered the complete removal of a large tree spanning the river, most of it was successfully eliminated before quitting time.

With another three-hour workday in the books, the Maunesha River Alliance can focus on the future. The group's next workday is scheduled for Saturday, June 20 in Waterloo. Meet at the Four Corners (S. Monroe St.) at 9am. This time, the MRA will join forces with Capitol Water Trails, paddling to Firemen’s Park and clearing blockages along the way.

05/21/2026

May 16 workday video from the center of the action,

Looking ahead, the MRA will observe a hiatus for the Memorial Day holiday but is planning to schedule another workday for the weekend of June 6 or June 13. The specific date and location will be announced soon, so keep an eye out for updates if you're interested in lending a hand. Additionally, mark your calendars for a scheduled workday with Capitol Water Trails on June 20. Participants are invited to meet at 9am at the Four Corners (S. Monroe St.) in Waterloo for a canoeing trip down to Firemen’s Park, where they will be focused on removing blockages along the way.

05/19/2026

BEFORE & AFTER
Pictures of the massive blockage before 10 MRA volunteers opened it up a bit on May 16. Check out what is left of the blockage from the walking trail or pedestrian bridge. And FYI. We are leaving the makeshift wildlife bridge that a fallen large tree created.

Looking ahead, the MRA will observe a hiatus for the Memorial Day holiday but is planning to schedule another workday for the weekend of June 6 or June 13. The specific date and location will be announced soon, so keep an eye out for updates if you're interested in lending a hand. Additionally, mark your calendars for a scheduled workday with Capitol Water Trails on June 20. Participants are invited to meet at 9am at the Four Corners (S. Monroe St.) in Waterloo for a canoeing trip down to Firemen’s Park, where they will be focused on removing blockages along the way.

05/17/2026

We did a thing!

On Saturday, May 16, the Maunesha River Alliance (MRA) organized a successful cleanup event behind Howie’s Hardware in Waterloo. Ten dedicated volunteers came together to tackle a significant blockage obstructing the river near the pedestrian bridge, just east of the Riverwalk Senior Apartments. This turnout marks the first instance of double-digit participation of the year and coincidentally, the same date as last year's workday in 2025. Notably, two of the volunteers were participating in their first MRA event.

The enthusiasm and teamwork of the large crew quickly became evident, as they made remarkable progress on the massive blockage within the first hour. After skillfully disassembling the entangled mass of logs over two hours, the team shifted its focus to a smaller blockage in the area. By noon, both problem spots had been effectively cleared, allowing the hardworking volunteers to enjoy a well-deserved lunch at Mama’s Saloon in downtown Waterloo.

Looking ahead, the MRA will observe a hiatus for the Memorial Day holiday but is planning to schedule another workday for the weekend of June 6 or June 13. The specific date and location will be announced soon, so keep an eye out for updates if you're interested in lending a hand. Additionally, mark your calendars for a scheduled workday with Capitol Water Trails on June 20. Participants are invited to meet at 9am at the Four Corners (S. Monroe St.) in Waterloo for a canoeing trip down to Firemen’s Park, where they will be focused on removing blockages along the way.

Lastly, the MRA would like to thank those who helped put together this successful event, including the members of the City of Waterloo government, the fine folks at Howie's Hardware, and everyone at Mama's Saloon.

05/10/2026

What a great day! The Maunesha River Alliance & Capitol Water Trails started their water-based cleanup season on Saturday, May 2, with a successful four-hour cleanup. Though the turnout was small (three people), the diminutive crew managed to pull out four blockages. The volunteers launched their canoes at Whisper's Roadhouse, removing snags along the way before taking out at the Four Corners (S. Monroe St.) in Waterloo.

The group removed one blockage behind the Briess Malt building before running into one huge snag after shooting down the old dam, about 100 yards upstream of the intersection of Hwy. 19 and Canal Rd. With over two hours spent removing an entire fallen tree laying across the river, the MRA cleaned up more line-of-sight issues before encountering another problem area near the pedestrian bridge behind the Riverwalk Senior Apartments. Since it was already past 12:30pm, the trio removed a few logs from the mother of all logjams to make it more accessible for future paddlers, then continued on to their final destination. And don't worry—we'll be back to work on that big blockage in the future.

With the work done for the day, the crew met up with some other members for cold adult beverages and pizza at Whisper’s Roadhouse for social hour. And thanks, Whisper, buying our pizza. We appreciate your ongoing support of the Maunesha River Alliance!

04/28/2026

Three members of the MRA gathered for an impromptu cleanup on Saturday, April 25. In honor of Earth Day, the group focused on clearing brush from the worksite, cutting invasive growth, applying herbicide along the wood chip trail, and spot-treating young burdock plants.

The MRA will be back at it next weekend for the first water-based workday of the 2026 cleanup season. The cleanup begins at 9:00am on May 2. Volunteers should meet at Whisper’s Roadhouse, where we will launch canoes and work downstream clearing blockages until we reach the 4 Corners in Waterloo.

Stay tuned to this page for any updates to the meeting location and details on future workdays.

Address

132 Hubbell St
Marshall, WI
53559-9400

Website

http://www.mauneshariveralliance.org/

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