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
Cory Prellwitz – President
Kevin Witte – Past President
Jason Owens – President-Elect
Nolan Little – Secretary
Bruce Karnatz – Treasurer
Brad Eifert – Director
Jeanne May – Director
Dan Olson – Director
Justin Stout – 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.
Association Activities – Phase I
- Partnership planning including the City of Kearney, NPPD, CPNRD and UNK
- 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; opened in the spring of 2016.
- Financed half the entrance landing at Yanney Park
- Financed half the exit landing near Midway CDJR
- Installed Water Trail signage
- Received the CHI Community Health Advocacy Award in 2016
Association Activities – Phase II
- KWA has raised $350,000 to benefit project development
- Financed a conceptual design study completed by S2O Design & Engineering
- Acquired approvals from adjacent landowners to begin development of Phase II
- Advocated for a resolution passed by the Kearney Park & Rec Board recommending 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
- Cooperatively worked with the city and secured grant funding from the CPNRD
- Collaborated with the city to hire S2O Design to complete a preliminary design
- Members have pledged $60,000 of their own money towards the Phase II project
Become a Volunteer
Throughout the projects, hundreds of volunteers have worked to bring the Water Trail project to fruition.
- Hosted more than twenty public floats that introduced hundreds of residents to the water trail
- Addressed and educated dozens of local groups about the Kearney Whitewater project
- Attended multiple outdoors events promoting KWA
- Performed multiple water trail cleanups, with over 17 tons of trash and other hazards removed
- KWA has been actively volunteering at the Fort Kearny Outdoor Expo since 2013