Big Muddy Speaker Series presents:
“Close Up on Clean Water”
Original presentation by Kat Logan Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
308 N Main St. – St Charles, MO
The 40 year-old Clean Water Act aims to protect the “physical, chemical, and biological” integrity of our nation’s waters so our creeks, rivers, and oceans can thrive. For four decades Missouri has left nearly 150,000 miles of waters with insufficient protections to safeguard their health. At the same time, our waters are under increasing pressures from development, agriculture, and climate stress.
How can the Missouri River thrive when the creeks that feed it are unprotected? How can we secure our freshwater resources when 80% of our state’s waters are not held to Clean Water Act standards? How can we ensure that our children and grandchildren can enjoy healthy waters in Missouri?
Kat Logan Smith will give us a basic overview of the Clean Water Act, how the law can work to keep fish thriving, restore damaged waters and safeguard our highest quality waters. She’ll review the Missouri Coalition for the Environment petition for full protections for Missouri waters and let us know how we can preserve our water heritage for future generations.
The Missouri Coalition for the Environment works to protect and restore the environment through education, public engagement, and legal action.
Meet Your Presenter
Kat Logan Smith
, Executive Director
Kat Logan Smith will give us a basic overview of the Clean Water Act, how the law can work to keep fish thriving, restore damaged waters and safeguard our highest quality waters. She’ll review the Missouri Coalition for the Environment petition for full protections for Missouri waters and let us know how we can preserve our water heritage for future generations.
Related Presentations
Resources & Links
Resources and Links
- Missouri Coalition for the Environment website»
- “Missouri’s Unprotected Waters” – MCE’s full stream protection campaign»
- US Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act (CWA) resources • links
- US EPA – “Water is Worth It” – CWA 40th anniversary
- “Why Rivers No Longer Burn – The Clean Water Act is one of the greatest successes in environmental law” – article on 40th anniversary of CWA by James Salzman
The Big Muddy Speakers Series in St. Charles
is hosted by Missouri River Relief, Friends of Big Muddy, Greenway Network, the Big Muddy National Fish & Wildlife Refuge and the Columbia Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office (USFWS) with the following list of partners. All speakers are presenting for free. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us! This is the first in a series of St. Charles presentations. Help us make it grow!
The Big Muddy Speaker Series also takes place in Rocheport and Kansas City. Click here for the series homepage»
A special thank you to Greg Poleski of Greenway Network for making this happen!
Series Partners
Missouri River Relief
Friends of Big Muddy
Greenway Network
Columbia Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office (USFWS)
Big Muddy National Fish & Wildlife Refuge
Big A’s Restaurant
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.
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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.
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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.
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