MUSCATINE, Iowa – One of the world’s largest rivers is getting help from a big voice with the creation of the Mississippi River Partnership Council.

Allamakee, Clayton, Clinton, Des Moines, Dubuque, Jackson, Lee, Louisa,  Muscatine and Scott counties will be involved in the council, which will take shape in spring 2010.

Doug DeLille, senior planner for the Bi-State Regional Commission, said the partnership won’t have an effect on Illinois, but he hopes the group can work in conjunction with organizations in that state.

“It’s my understanding this group has been formed for funding needs and projects along the Mississippi River because it is a national waterway,” DeLille said.

The group will act as a leaping pad for new environmental and economical uses of the river.

The Mississippi River Partnership Council was signed into legislation by Gov. Chet Culver in April. The bill for the council’s creation was passed by a bi-partisan vote.

The creation of the Council was part of an amendment sponsored by Rep. Chuck Isenhart, D-Dubuque, to a bill on regional watershed, land use and floodplain management.

The Council will begin when $25,000 of private funds are secured. No state money is involved, but DeLille said the Department of Agriculture and Department of Transportation are likely to be involved.

The Council will include 30 members, 10 being appointed representing each county and nominated by the county boards of supervisors.  City councils of the largest bordering towns will also appoint representatives.

“The East Coast of Iowa is truly the jewel in the crown of Iowa’s waterways and deserves proper stewardship and foresight designed to protect, enhance and promote this most valuable asset,” Rep. Tom Schueller, D-Maquoketa, said in a statement.

DeLille said Iowa’s state government felt there wasn’t “a good working relationship” for cities using the river and communication could benefits its resources.

“Our hope is this group will draw attention and bring focus to the importance of the river,” DeLille said, “to make the public and councils aware of the needs and varied uses of the river and how best we can address those opportunities.”

Areas of interest to the Mississippi River Partnership include:

n Responding to common challenges and opportunities

n Identifying resources to support river-related projects

n Sharing and building on existing initiatives

Education, communication and relationships with public and private stakeholders are also important to the new organization, DeLille said.

The opportunities the group hopes to address are unclear at this time but will come into closer discussion when it meets for the first time next spring.

“The legislators caught on to it and thought this wasn’t such a bad idea to get everyone together and talk about these issues and this coordinative effort,” DeLille said.