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Clean River Advisory Council: 465 Quad Cities respondents name wetland restoration, trees and cleaner riverfront as top priorities
Summary
Presenters for the Clean River Advisory Council told Bettendorf's Committee of the Whole that a July252525December 2025 survey collected 465 responses across the Quad Cities; Bettendorf respondents prioritized wetland restoration, rain gardens and tree plantings, and cited trash, water-quality concerns and flooding as top barriers to river access.
The Committee of the Whole heard on April 20 from Clean River Advisory Council representatives about a neighborhood-level survey of Quad Cities residents that collected 465 responses between July and December 2025.
Brent Marlock introduced the presenters, Amy Kay (Clean Water Manager, City of Davenport) and Angelica Villarreal (Clean River Advisory Council). Angelica said the survey aimed to learn how residents connect with the Mississippi River and what barriers and solutions they would prioritize. "We collected over 465 responses between July and December of 2025," she said.
The presentation said recreation is the most common way residents interact with the river, but that many respondents also described cultural and intergenerational ties. Presenters reported that about 60% of respondents identified one or more barriers to connecting with the river, including lack of time, lack of awareness of events and perceptions that some river locations feel unsafe.
When asked about top environmental concerns tied to the Mississippi, the survey highlighted trash and litter as a tangible, frequently cited issue, followed by worries about water quality and the potential for flooding in some neighborhoods.
Bettendorf-specific results showed restoration of wetlands, building rain gardens and planting trees among the top priorities for local respondents. "For Bettendorf, restoring wetlands ended up being the number one priority," Amy Kay said during her remarks. Presenters emphasized nature-based solutions such as native plants and trees as multi-benefit strategies that address flooding, erosion and habitat.
Presenters described funding and partner opportunities tied to the work: the Walton Family Foundation and the Quad Cities Community Foundation supported the CRAC effort, and past QC River Connections grants have totaled roughly $680,000. CRAC said an additional funding window of about $250,000 will open for QC River Connections grants.
The presentation also highlighted a new Quad Cities Ecological Corridor Network map developed with partners including the National Wildlife Federation and Prairie Rivers Network. Presenters said the mapping is meant as a voluntary, regional planning tool to help cities identify greenway gaps and coordinate grant applications.
Council members asked about how Nahant Marsh is involved; presenters said Nahant Marsh has been a past grant recipient and that many CRAC members also serve on related local watershed and marsh partner boards.
CRAC representatives said they will follow up with focus groups and government roundtables this summer and made materials and a public map available for staff and council review. The presenters closed by urging continued cross-jurisdictional coordination to translate resident priorities into projects and grant applications.
