Friends of the Kaw - Kansas Riverkeeper

06/14/2026

Beginner Camping and Paddle on the Kaw!
Friday, June 19, 2026 to Saturday, June 20, 2026
On the Kansas River from Eudora to De Soto

Join our staff and Kaw River Guides to learn how to set up camp, choose the right sandbar, watch for weather/wind conditions and build a campfire. We will launch on Friday and paddle and find a sandbar, camp for the night, then paddle on Saturday to our destination.

This event is geared towards members who already know how to camp but have not camped on the Kansas River. You must bring your own camping gear, food, and kayak or canoe, and you must be able to transport your gear on your own.

Learn more and sign up at www.eventbrite.com/o/17751155327.

06/13/2026

Aidan and Hanna are at the Topeka Zoo today for World Oceans Day! Drop by and learn all about watersheds, the Kansas River, and how our actions in Kansas can even impact the world’s oceans! They’ll be there until 3:00PM.

See you there!

06/13/2026

We had a great Friday morning paddling Mill Creek with staff and interns from the Johnson County, KS Government Stormwater Management Program and Johnson County Park and Recreation District - JCPRD! We were also joined by the 2026 Artists in Residency with the JCPRD Art and Natural Resource Residency Program. Thank you everyone for joining us!

The recent high flows on the Kansas River make the river unsafe for paddling, so we pivoted to Mill Creek in Johnson County. The canoe and kayak access at the Wilder Road park location is part of the Mill Creek Streamway Park system. It was a good morning to paddle downstream and back to the kayak access point - without ever getting on the Kansas River. Learn more about the park at. www.jocogov.org/contact-us/all-locations/mill-creek-streamway-park

Friday’s paddle trip was part of our partnership with the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program which provides funding for our Youth Water Quality Education Program in Johnson County schools. Thank you for your support! Thank you also to everyone who joined us on the creek! We hope you had a great morning!

06/13/2026

Friends of the Kaw connects people with the river. It’s one of our favorite things to do! When we connect people with the river, we foster a spirit of conservation and pride in the Kansas River.

This month, when you shop at The Merc Co+op and donate your change, you partner with us to take care of the river and enrich the lives of every generation!

Be sure to check out The Merc Co+op on your next grocery run!

Can’t make it to the store? Visit the website to make a donation online! www.themerc.coop/change-online/donate-to-change.

Want to learn more about Friends of the Kaw and how YOU can connect to the river? Check out our website! www.kansasriver.org

06/13/2026

The Kansas River is humming from all of the rain. Reservoirs have not even started releasing yet. Stay river alert. You can find links to reservoir release and river flows on our river access map: https://kansasriver.org/river-access-map/

06/11/2026

Join Friends of the Kaw and Eudora KS Parks and Recreation Department for a fun day on the Kansas River!

This river experience includes an educational sandbar talk and cold watermelon. You can rent one of our single kayaks, double kayaks, or canoes; or BYOB (bring your own boat)!
This is a great opportunity to explore the Kansas River with a community of friends, so don't wait to register!

Get more info and sign up today at www.eudoracommunitypaddle080826.eventbrite.com!

06/11/2026

Be apart of Change for Our Community!

Don't forget to stop by The Merc Co+op in June and round up your change to support the work of Friends of the Kaw!

Your donation directly helps to keep drinking water safe for 950,000 people!

Find out more at www.kansasriver.org and at www.themerc.coop

06/11/2026

Congratulations, Darin!

NEW FASTEST KNOWN PADDLE ALERT!

Congratulations to Darin Brunin on paddling the 172 mile Kansas River, Kansas, USA, in 1 day, 7 hours and 50 minutes breaking the previous record by 12 hours and 10 minutes.

Darin paddled on May 29 and 30th. The previous record holder, Ryan McCoy, was part of Darin's support team and paddled with him towards the end of his trip. Darin and Ryan are pictured at the end of the route: Kaw Point, where the Kansas meets the Missouri, with downtown Kansas City in the background, at 11:50pm on May 30th.

Darin's trip report is fantastic, moving and detailed and, along with more pictures, can be read on the Fastest Known Paddle website (link in comments on FB; in bio on Insta).

06/10/2026

Join Friends of the Kaw for the 4th Annual Together Topeka! Help us, along with our partners, to pick up litter and trash on the riverbank to support a clean river for all!

Thursday, June 25, 2026
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
On the Kansas River levee (on the south bank) at North Kansas Avenue
Topeka, KS

Be sure to RSVP today at www.bit.ly/2026TogetherTopekaRSVP!

Thank you to the for their support! We are adding new sponsors and partners all the time, so watch this page for updates!

Learn more about Friends of the Kaw's 2026 cleanups at www.bit.ly/FOKcleanupschedule.