In the early 1900s, the Blue River in Kansas City was a vibrant spot for fishing, boating, swimming and camping. But today, the river, which runs 40 miles through the Kansas City metro, is largely forgotten as a place for recreation.

The Blue River is in poor condition – its watershed is polluted and overrun with invasive species. Its banks have grown barren and the river is prone to flooding. Its health received a “C” grade from the Heartland Conservation Alliance this year.

But that could soon change. A $5 million grant awarded to Kansas City by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources will restore 250 acres of the Blue River watershed. The city, in collaboration with local environmental groups, will “Renew the Blue” by clearing invasive plants and replacing them with native ones. The work will improve water quality and reduce flood risk.

Jess Hartel, senior director of conservation and education at Heartland Conservation Alliance, hopes the project will bring more attention to the Blue River.

“In a lot of ways, we’ve turned our back on our waterways,” Hartel told KCUR’s Up To Date. “Some buildings, you know, they’re not even forward facing to the river. They’re kind of built facing the other direction, and where we forget about them. But they’re really important, and they essentially are our operating system, like your computer is. They’re providing all these services that we need, and we just aren’t thinking about them until things go really wrong.”

The restoration of the Blue River will continue until fall 2028.

• Jess Hartel, senior director of conservation and education, Heartland Conservation Alliance
• Maddie Ball, outreach and education program director, Deep Roots KC
• Jacobo Barriga, KC Wildlands program coordinator, Bridging the Gap