America's Watershed Initiative Mississippi River Watershed Report Card

The Mississippi River watershed is a globally important resource, providing water resources for people, industries, and ecosystems, food and energy production, and transportation of important agricultural and industrial commodities. Management of the watershed for these potentially conflicting uses and services is challenging, as the watershed spans parts of 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces. The report card brings together a variety of relevant, easily understood, and transparent indicators to measure watershed goal status. Version one of the America's Watershed Initiative Mississippi River Watershed Report Card synthesizes complex information into a clear understanding of management goal achievement in five watershed basins, and the larger Mississippi River watershed. When finalized in Spring, 2015, the America's Watershed Initiative Report Card for the Mississippi River watershed will present overall status for six broad social, environmental, and economic goals. This report card will provide valuable insight to community and business leaders, policy makers, media, and the public. The easily understood information will present the status of the Upper and Lower Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Red basins, and the Mississippi River watershed. It will help us track successes, identify areas needing improvement, and support a more integrated and balanced approach for management in the Mississippi River.

Keywords: