Big Muddy Speaker Series presents:
Volunteer Collaborations to improve the Missouri River
Learn how efforts in Kansas City combine to improve water quality and public awareness.
What are volunteers doing and how effective is it?
Meet Your Presenter
Vicki Richmond
, Executive Director of Healthy Rivers Partnership
Healthy Rivers Partnership is a not-for-profit professional and naturalist, working as an advocate on river issues for more than 20 years. Her projects include riparian restoration, water quality monitoring, river cleanups, events and festivals. Her work on the Blue River and Missouri River has gained international recognition.Growing up around rivers, streams and lakes, Vicki identifies her childhood as that of a "water baby". Now, an expert on Kansas City's rivers, she is an active participant at the community level who draws on a large network of resources and partners. She currently serves on the KC RiverTrails Board, Kansas City Port Authority Commission and the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee.Vicki's projects include: MR340, RiverFest for Kansas City, MO River Clean-ups, and River Otter Day and Project Blue River Rescue.
Related Presentations
Resources & Links
More about Vicki Richmond's work on our region's rivers.
- Healthy Rivers Partnership website
- "Missouri River fans foresee a new day for the Big Muddy" - by Rick Montgomery, Kansas City Star, May 9, 2015
- "Students learn benefits of clean river" - Independence Examiner, June 25, 2014
- "Creative Co-Lab" - Shawnee Mission East Harbinger Online, 2016
- "How 1,000 volunteers save the Blue River from itself every year" by Tina Casagrand, Missouri Stream Team Watershed Coalition.
- "Safety boat captains serve in the MR340 for the love of the river and a challenge" by Crystal Thomas, Kansas City Star, August 12, 2014
- "Kansas City River Advocate wins International Clearwater Award" - MO. Dept. of Conservation, Dec. 10, 2010.
- VIDEO "Big Muddy" featuring Vicki Richmond. By John Beatty.
The Big Muddy Speakers Series in Kansas City
is hosted by these wonderful partners!
- Little Blue River Watershed Coalition
- Friends of Lakeside Nature Center
- Missouri River Relief
- Healthy Rivers Partnership
- Kansas City Digital Video
Thanks to all of our venue hosts for making this possible! Click here for a list of upcoming presentations» The Big Muddy Speaker Series is also held monthly in Rocheport and St. Charles.
Recordings of Presentations
Kansas City Digital Video has been recording Big Muddy Speaker Series presentations. These are available on their website at this link. Some contain synchronized powerpoint presentations. We will be posting these to the archived presentation pages on bigmuddyspeakers.org. Thanks Micheal Morgan and crew for putting this important archive online!
Upcoming Presentations
Leave No Trace Training on the Barge
October 14, 2026St. Louis, MO
Join us for a special Big Muddy Speaker Series on the Living Lands & Waters Barge where Perry Whitaker will lead us in a Leave No Trace Training.
See Event
Missouri River Relief: 25 Years on the Big Muddy
November 10, 2026Columbia, MO
Join us for a journey through time celebrating 25 years of Missouri River Relief's work on the Big Muddy.
See Event
Plastic Pollution, Gulf Hypoxia, and Water Quality
November 11, 2026St Charles, MO
Jennifer Wendt from MidAmerica Clean Future guides us through understanding regional water quality challenges.
See Event