http://www.MiWaterwaysStewards.org/

Michigan Waterways Stewards, Okemos, MI (2026)

06/03/2026

A GRAND RIVER CLEARING - EATON RAPIDS | 6.2.26
Creating A Safer, More Pleasant River Experience

We were asked to mitigate an obstruction along a scenic stretch of the Grand River located about three miles downstream from Eaton Rapids. This is an area where the Grand funnels through one side of what was not long ago an island. Here, the river picks up speed, making for a fun and fast stretch of paddling.

However, at the end, there awaits a large debris field with sections of two large trees extending well into the river. This creates a tricky obstruction for paddlers of all skill levels. The forked sections of the trees and other trapped logs beneath the river’s surface create an even more dangerous obstacle for those who tip over.

A nearby resident reported having seen several paddlers spill over here. Concerned for their safety, they asked for our help, and we were glad to assist.

We were surprised by the pace of the river here. It is easy to see how unsuspecting paddlers could find themselves unable to make the tricky turn to the left and get caught up in this debris field. The current is so strong that we found ourselves, when not on solid footing, being pushed up against the trees.

This clearing along this stretch of the Grand River is now much larger. The partial obstruction, both above and below the river, has been cleared. It should prove easier, and certainly much safer, to navigate this stretch of the Grand River and around this considerable-sized woody debris field.

This small stretch of the Grand River should serve as an excellent reminder to all who navigate our waterways. Remain attentive and always wear your PFDs, as even those areas perceived to be friendly and inviting can quickly become difficult and dangerous.

MICHIGAN WATERWAYS STEWARDS | CREATING A COMMUNITY CULTURE OF CARE
JOIN US • CREATE LASTING IMPACT • THIS IS OUR LEGACY

06/01/2026

SYCAMORE CREEK—MUCH IMPROVED | 6.1.26
A Treasured Winding Shallow Creek

Today, with the help of River Town Adventures' Paul Brogan, we returned to Sycamore Creek for a little litter patrol and trail grooming with loppers. The weather was near perfect as it was bright, sunny, and partially cloudy. The canopy of trees along nearly the entire distance provided shade and cooler temperatures.

The Sycamore Creek is a shallow winding tributary running through an urban forest. It is always teeming with wildlife. Curious deer, muskrats, ducks, geese, blue herons, sunning turtles, and more were spotted today.

It has not rained since our last visit on May 26, when we declared the Sycamore Creek officially cleared. The drop in water made it easier for us to wade in the river and collect several bags of litter and trash, as well as long-discarded tires, highway barrels, and other evidence of urban living. However, the shallower waters often required us to get out and pull our kayaks along the river’s sandy and pebbled bottom. Additionally, submerged logs that were easy to paddle over just a week ago often required a running start and sometimes a little muscle to get over.

Not thinking we would need it, we brought along a chainsaw to help with any shifting woody debris, just in case. We were lucky we did. We mitigated no fewer than four obstructions to make navigation safe and easy.

We’ll be returning soon to continue our efforts along this stretch of the Sycamore Creek. Very soon it will be clean, cleared, and meticulously groomed, further establishing our Capital City as Michigan’s most scenic, varied, and enjoyable urban waterways destination.

250,000 POUND MILESTONE
With this trip, we achieved another milestone. As of June 1, three and a half years after our start, we have now hand-retrieved over 250,000 pounds of litter, trash, and other evidence of urban living. We wish to thank all our volunteers, year-round partners, and event sponsors for making this remarkable journey possible and for making Michigan’s waterways cleaner and healthier.

MICHIGAN WATERWAYS STEWARDS | CREATING A COMMUNITY CULTURE OF CARE
JOIN US • CREATE LASTING IMPACT • THIS IS OUR LEGACY

05/31/2026

ROTARY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE TO HUMANITY
Awarded to Michigan Waterways Stewards’ Mike Stout

This week, we received word from Mark Odland, District Governor for Rotary District 6360, 2024-2025, that Mike Stout, president and founder of Michigan Waterways Stewards, has been awarded Rotary International’s prestigious Rotary Award for Excellence in Service to Humanity.

This award is presented to non-Rotarians who have demonstrated exemplary, long-term humanitarian service consistent with Rotary's ideals. Each year, no more than 150 individuals worldwide receive this honor.

Stout was recognized for his partnership with several Rotary Clubs across southwest Michigan and his unwavering commitment to making Michigan’s waterways cleaner, healthier, and the envy of our Great Lakes States. The mission of Michigan Waterways Stewards closely aligns with Rotary’s dedication to environmental stewardship, the protection of natural resources, the advancement of ecological sustainability, and the promotion of harmony between humanity and nature.

Coincidentally, when Stout received notification of this award, he was working with Rotary Club of Albion, Michigan member, James Seidl, and the City of Albion, Michigan to clear riverside obstructions along their stretch of the Kalamazoo River and Mill Race, and he was planning to meet later with Marshall Rotary Club member, Martin Overheiser.

Stout shares, “I am truly humbled and honored. It is through partnerships with like-minded and dedicated organizations like Rotary International that our work is possible. I couldn’t be prouder of our Rotary Club partnerships across southwest Michigan, several of which have spanned many years. On behalf of our thousands of volunteers, year-round partners, and event sponsors, I gratefully accept this prestigious award.”

This marks the fourth award received by Michigan Waterways Stewards:
• (2025) Rotary Award for Excellence in Service to Humanity, a global accolade for non-Rotarians who have exhibited exemplary, long-term humanitarian service consistent with Rotary’s ideals.
• (2025) Sierra Club Michigan White Pine Award, given to a non-member, organization, or group demonstrating extraordinary dedication to environmental protection.
• (2024) Michigan State University Greek Ivy Award, honoring an outstanding community member, chapter advisor, or faculty/staff member who has significantly represented Fraternity & Sorority Life.
• (2024) The City of Lansing, Michigan proclamation, recognizing Michigan Waterways Stewards for their community leadership, collaborative approach, and environmental impact.

If you wish to learn more about:
• Michigan Waterways Stewards, its founder Michael Stout, and how you can support their efforts, please visit: www.MiWaterwaysStewards.org
• Rotary International and how you can join or support their initiatives, please visit: www.Rotary.org or your local chapter.

MICHIGAN WATERWAYS STEWARDS | CREATING A COMMUNITY CULTURE OF CARE
JOIN US • CREATE LASTING IMPACT • THIS IS OUR LEGACY

05/30/2026

A GRAND RIVER CLEANUP—A TRULY GRAND EFFORT!

On this lovely summer-like Friday afternoon, in support of our upcoming Saturday, June 6, Lansing Rivers and River Trail Cleanup, we partnered with Punks with Lunch to cover three areas along our prized Grand River.

The areas canvassed included:
1.. The area of the Lansing River Trail from below S. Washington Avenue along the fencing behind W. Elm Street at the GM Plant
2. Cherry Hill Park from I-496 to the Kalamazoo Street Bridge
3. Dietrich Park

The work included litter patrol and Lansing River Trail reclamation. The latter involved removing compact organic material, mud, and loose dirt from our recent flooding season from under the W. Elm Street Bridge. This passage is now cleaner, wider, and free of loose debris, making usage both more pleasant and safer.

Thanks to the many partnerships we have, like Punks with Lunch, and the efforts of thousands of volunteers, we look forward to soon declaring our Capital City’s Grand and Red Cedar Rivers, Sycamore Creek, all Riverside Parks, and adjacent stretches of the Lansing River Trail Condition cleaned and cleared for the first time. This will further entrench our Capital City as offering Michigan’s most scenic, varied, and enjoyable urban waterways destination.

Thank you, Punks with Lunch, for your determination and remarkable efforts. Well done.

If you too would like to volunteer to make our Capital City Region’s rivers, riverside parks, and adjacent stretches of the Lansing River Trail look their best, drop us a note; we would love to hear from you. We offer community-wide events, individual, small group, and team-building activities. Plus, everything needed is provided.

MICHIGAN WATERWAYS STEWARDS | CREATING A COMMUNITY CULTURE OF CARE
JOIN US • CREATE LASTING IMPACT • THIS IS OUR LEGACY

05/28/2026

ALBION KALAMAZOO RIVER & MILL RACE CLEANUP
A Collaborative Effort | 5.27.26

Building on last year’s remarkable success, Albion’s second annual Kalamazoo River Cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, June 13. Our primary focus will be litter patrol on, in, and along our stretch of the Kalamazoo River and Mill Race, including the riverside parks and river trail.

Bechtel team members and other volunteers from Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Lansing, Marshall, and, of course, Albion have already pledged their support.

In preparation for Albion’s June 13 event, we tackled the waters yesterday to mitigate two river-wide obstructions, making volunteering and passive recreational activities easier and safer. Assisting us were Albion Rotarian Jim Seidl and two members of Albion’s Public Services team. With their help and the use of heavy equipment, we swiftly completed the task with minimal disruption to the soft river bottom and fragile riverbanks.

These types of collaborative efforts demonstrate the ease and joy with which we can achieve great things when working together. By collaborating, we can accomplish results that might otherwise be unattainable. Such efforts inspire us, fueling our confidence and determination to expand our programming statewide, ultimately making Michigan’s waterways the envy of our Great Lakes States.

Thank you, City of Albion, for all you do to steward our waterways.

Click on the links below to learn more about our upcoming community waterways stewardship events. You won’t want to miss them, as they are much more than mere stewardship—they are a celebration of community:
• Saturday, June 6, Lansing Rivers and River Trail Cleanup: https://shorturl.at/xJ4Su
• Saturday, June 13, Albion Kalamazoo River Cleanup: https://shorturl.at/VS1Kv

LOVE OUR WATERWAYS. IT’S A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
JOIN US • CREATE LASTING IMPACT • THIS IS OUR LEGACY

05/26/2026

SYCAMORE CREEK—ALL CLEARED!
From Maguire Park to Confluence of the Red Cedar

On the last day of 2025, after spending several weeks on Sycamore Creek to mitigate all riverside obstructions from Maguire Park to the confluence with the Red Cedar River, Sycamore Creek was declared cleared. This achievement was made possible by the extraordinary efforts of many, particularly the residents of the Sycamore Park neighborhood, who independently tackled the significant collection of woody debris just north of Mount Hope Avenue and in other areas.

After months of near-record cold weather, heavy rains, and flooding, we returned to Sycamore Creek to assess this scenic waterway and address newly formed obstructions. We quickly realized that the wrath of winter and early spring was greater than we had anticipated. Due to the enormity of the task, and despite an all-day effort from a well-resourced and determined crew, two obstructions requiring portaging remained.

Other spots would benefit from additional attention, but we had to pace ourselves and exit the river before dusk, so we needed to be selective in our efforts.

Today, on Memorial Day, we returned to Sycamore Creek to complete our work. With the recent rains and heavy winds, we quickly discovered that there were more than just the two remaining obstructions needing to be cleared. Shifting fields of woody debris and newly fallen trees demanded more time and effort than we had expected. This highlights the challenges of managing woody debris along a narrow, winding waterway where heavy rains create swift-flowing conditions.

We are excited to announce that the 3-mile stretch of Sycamore Creek from Maguire Park to the Red Cedar River is now cleared!

If you choose to explore this wondrous tributary, you will find that there may be no more scenic stretch of navigable waterway in our Capital City Region. Sycamore Creek is truly spectacular as it winds through the heart of an urban forest located in the center of our Capital City.

The Sycamore Creek is so clear that you can easily see the sandy or pebbled bottom. For nearly the entire distance, the thick canopy of trees provides protection from the summer's heat and bright sun. This urban forest is teeming with wildlife. Curious deer take an interest in your presence as you glide by, turkeys forage in the distance without a care, ducks and geese either paddle forward or take flight, and sunning turtles slip back into the water.

Along the way, our prized and winding Lansing River Trail offers glimpses of the enchanting Sycamore Creek, inviting you to explore. Children, filled with sheer excitement, often point and shout to others to notice the passing paddlers, followed by a delightful exchange of courtesy waves.

This tributary deserves our meticulous stewardship and added protections for the benefit of fish and wildlife, recreation, and sport. We will return soon for some fine grooming and litter patrol. If you choose to explore, you too will quickly discover how truly special Sycamore Creek is. Enjoy!

For those who may wonder, we take pride in our minimalist approach to creating navigable lanes that protect and preserve the natural beauty of this urban tributary. We follow the Clean and Open Method of Woody Debris Management, specifically developed to guide the management of logjams to reduce erosion and provide habitat for fish and wildlife, as this is an important part of a river system's natural processes and is foremost in our mission.

Please heed the message of our mascot, Hannah the Heron: “Love Our Waterways. It’s A Shared Responsibility.” Wherever you paddle, do so with purpose and be mindful of our fragile ecosystems. Leave them a little better than you found them. Don’t just adopt the practice of “Carry In—Carry Out”; build on it. With each trip, aim to pick up one, two, or perhaps a few pieces of litter or trash. It won’t take long before we see the incremental gains, benefits, and the achievement of another pristine waterway.

MICHIGAN WATERWAYS STEWARDS | CREATING A COMMUNITY CULTURE OF CARE
JOIN US • CREATE LASTING IMPACT • THIS IS OUR LEAGCY

05/25/2026

A CAPITAL CITY GRAND AND RED CEDAR RIVER ASSESSMENT
Keep Our Capital City’s Rivers Beautiful.

Preparing for our Saturday, June 6, Lansing Rivers and River Trail Cleanup, we continue our assessments to determine those areas needing the greatest attention. The pictures below are of the Grand River from Moores Park to River Point and the Red Cedar River from River Point Park to just south of the first pedestrian bridge.

We’re pleased to see that, as a result of thousands of volunteers since our start in November 2022 and the efforts of hundreds of volunteers this early season, along with the support of the City of Lansing and other great organizations, our Capital City’s waterways, riverside parks, and adjacent stretches of the Lansing River Trail are looking great—better than at any time in recent years.

We looking for more volunteers as we aim to further entrench our Capital City as offering Michigan’s most scenic, varied, and enjoyable urban waterways destination. Come join us. You won’t want to miss this event. Bring a friend, family member, neighbor, coworker, or anyone else, as the Lansing Rivers and River Trail cleanup is much more than stewardship; it’s a celebration of community.

To learn more about the event, special activities, hospitality, offers of volunteer appreciation, and more, visit our dedicated webpage at https://shorturl.at/ZB9yg.

MICHIGAN WATERWAYS STEWARDS
CREATING A COMMUNITY CULTURE OF CARE.

05/23/2026

OUR CAPITAL CITY’S GRAND RIVER
Looking Grand - Even On This Moody Friday

At our upcoming June 6 Lansing Rivers and River Trail Cleanup, we aim to declare our Capital City’s Grand and Red Cedar Rivers, Sycamore Creek, all riverside parks, and adjacent stretches of the Lansing River Trail cleaned and cleared. This will be a first!

With the help of hundreds of volunteers already this season, we’re off to a fantastic start! With the pledges of volunteer support from many more, including company, municipal, company, and club teams, leading up to and including the day of the event, we’re even more confident in achieving this milestone together.

We’re still looking for volunteers as we seek to firmly establish our Capital City Region as Michigan’s most scenic, varied, and enjoyable urban waterways destination.

To learn more about the June 6 Lansing Rivers and River Trail Cleanup and how you can support, visit https://shorturl.at/o51VV, or drop us a line or give us a call—we’d love to hear from you.
E. [email protected]
C. (952) 239-3943

MICHIGAN WATERWAYS STEWARDS.
CREATING A COMMUNITY CULTURE OF CARE.
JOIN US • CREATE LASTING IMPACT • THIS IS OUR LEGACY

05/22/2026

THANK YOU DRS. RAFE & LINDSAY PETTY
For Your Generous Support and Making Our Work Possible

We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to Drs. Rafe & Lindsay Petty for their incredibly generous financial support. It is through contributions like yours that our work is possible and Michigan’s waterways cleaner and healthier. Your support allows us to continue expanding our programs and reach, helping us achieve our ultimate goal of making Michigan’s waterways the envy of our Great Lakes states.

To learn how you too can support our efforts through volunteering or by contributing in-kind or financially, visit us online, drop us a note, or give us a call. We would love to connect with you.

W. www.MiWaterwaysStewards.org
E. [email protected]
P: (952) 239-3943

We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to all our year-round bronze, silver, and gold sponsors: The Home Depot Foundation, R.E. Olds Foundation, Lansing Parks and Recreation, Friends of the River, Adrian and Blissfield Railroad Company, Potter Park Zoo, The City of Kalamazoo, Lansing Lugnuts, Dart Container, Granger Waste Services, East Lansing Rotary Club, and Drs. Rafe & Lindsay Petty.

MICHIGAN WATERWAYS STEWARDS. CREATING A COMMUNITY CULTURE OF CARE.
JOIN US • CREATE LASTING IMPACT • THIS IS OUR LEGACY

05/22/2026

A HURON RIVER ASSESSMENT | 5.21.26
ANN ARBOR TO YPSILANTI

We have volunteers eager to assist with Huron River cleanups, specifically in the area flowing through Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Yesterday, with the help of Karin Rapp, an avid paddler and conservationist, we returned to tour the 14.3-mile stretch from Argo Park to Spring Street.

We were pleased to see that our cleanup efforts in Fuller Park, where over 70 cubic yards of litter, trash, and other evidence of urban living were removed, are holding strong. While the homeless encampments have grown in size, the area is considerably cleaner than before our recent efforts.

In this area, additional stewardship is needed as there are items like blankets, pillows, and other trash snagged in low-hanging branches downriver. We expect considerable amounts of similar items in the water and at the bottom of the river along this stretch. We also know of concentrated pockets above the riverbank, in lowland and wetland areas, that need to be cleaned.

It was an enjoyable trip. The weather was sunny and cool, and there were tons of paddlers, fishermen, wildlife, and waterfowl. Unfortunately, the wind was in our face for most of the trip, making for an early-season workout.

If you know of areas of interest along the Huron River or any other Michigan waterways needing stewardship attention, let us know. We would love to come help, provide all the equipment needed, and even assist with volunteer recruitment to make Michigan’s waterways cleaner and healthier.

To learn more about who we are, visit our website at www.MiWaterwaysStewards.org. Or, send us an an email or give us a call. We love boasting about the remarkable efforts of our thousands of volunteers and our vision to make Michigan’s waterways the envy of our Great Lakes states.

[email protected] | (952) 239-3943

LOVE OUR WATERWAYS. IT’S A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
COME JOIN US • CREATE LASTING IMPACT • THIS IS OUR LEGACY.

Michigan Waterways Stewards

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