About

Who We Are

The Kearney Whitewater Association (KWA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to establishing a whitewater park and water trail in Kearney, Nebraska. The Association was formed in 2012 by a small group of local paddling enthusiasts who felt there was recreational potential in the local waterway. An executive board was formed for the Association and an agreement was signed with the Kearney Area Community Foundation to begin operating as one of their affiliates.

KWA Executive Board
Dan Olson – President
Donna Ough-Murray – President-Elect
Jeanne May – Past President
Nolan Little – Secretary
Bruce Karnatz – Treasurer
Brent Kreutzer – Director
Paloma Mena-Werth – Director
Cory Prellwitz – Director
Kevin Witte – Director


Paddling Efforts to a Water Trail and Whitewater Park

KWA has been involved with the following activities while being the major influence behind the resulting accomplishments. All of these have led up to where the project is today which is to develop and enhance the Phase II area of the water trail from the area south of the Kearney Cinema 8 to the Central Avenue bridge.

  • Formally organized in 2012 and began operating as an affiliate of the Kearney Area Community Foundation
  • Met with multiple public entities including NPPD, CPNRD and UNK
  • Hosted more than twenty public floats
  • Introduced hundreds of residents to the water trail
  • Advocated for an agreement between the City of Kearney and NPPD for recreational use of the Kearney Canal Tailrace south of 11th Street
  • Worked with the city to open the Kearney Water Trail which opened in the spring of 2016
  • Financed half the entrance landing at Yanney Park ($6,250)
  • Financed half the exit landing near Midway CDJR ($6,250)
  • Installed Water Trail signs
  • Addressed dozens of local groups about the Kearney Whitewater project
  • Attended multiple outdoors events promoting KWA
  • Performed multiple cleanups, with over 17 tons of trash removed
  • Worked to clear other hazards in the water trail
  • Received the CHI Community Health Advocacy Award in 2016
  • Raised over $70,000 to benefit project development
  • Financed a conceptual design study completed by S2O Design & Engineering ($14,000)
  • Acquired approvals from adjacent landowners to begin development of Phase II
  • Advocated for a resolution passed by the Kearney Park & Rec Board recommending our request to develop a preliminary design for Phase II Enhancements of the Kearney Water Trail
  • Advocated for the same resolution which was passed by the Kearney City Council
  • Cooperated with the city to secure grant funding from the CPNRD (awarded $17,965)
  • Collaborated with the city to reach an agreement with S2O Design for the preliminary design (KWA contributed $16,465) (city contributed $5,000)
  • Raised $400,000 for the Phase II whitewater features development
  • Funded a bench near the upper whitewater feature ($3600)
  • Funded bike racks at Yanney Landing and at Midway Landing
  • Teamed up with the city to develop public access near Cherry Avenue
  • Awarded a grant for $20,000 to help fund Cherry Avenue public access point on Turkey Creek

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