FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Officials with the St. Joseph River Watershed Initiative (SJRWI) are hoping an upcoming day on the river will help bring awareness to the role of the waterway and to the organization.

The "Flow the St. Joe" event is Oct. 4. Participants may choose to navigate the river in a canoe or kayak or aboard a pontoon boat, said Sharon Partridge-Domer, watershed program manager for the Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District.

"It’ll be an easy float," she noted. "It’s a beautiful stretch of the river and we’ll be flowing with the river current."

Spending time on the river is a unique way to interact with it, said Martha Bishop Ferguson, co-chair of the event. "I liken it to meeting someone in person who you’ve only spoken to on the phone," she explained. "Then when you meet them, it’s nice to be able to put a face with a name and maybe a picture.

"The river is the same way. You drive over it or stand on the shore, but until you get on it and experience it, you don’t understand the rich natural resource that it is. It’s like another world."

The day is sponsored by the SJRWI and Fort Wayne City Utilities, which provides drinking water from the river for the city.

"The river’s water is important," Partridge-Domer said. "The first thing you think is that it’s our drinking water. That’s the No. 1 reason to protect that source."

Another goal of the day is to show the relationship between the river in northeastern Indiana and what happens downstream. The St. Joseph River joins with the St. Marys River in downtown Fort Wayne to form the Maumee River, which dumps into the western end of Lake Erie.

"We need to explain the connection to our river and the issues they’re having in Lake Erie," she said. "Things that happen here do affect the lake. We have some things to clean up here and we need to watch to see that it doesn’t get any worse."

In early August, the water supply in Toledo, Ohio, was contaminated, apparently by toxins from algae found in the lake. Residents were told not to drink water from the city’s water treatment plant for two days. Harmful algae blooms have been a problem on Lake Erie in several recent years.

"There are ways to improve water quality, and everyone has a role," Ferguson said. "You can’t just point fingers (at other people in the watershed). Everyone in the watershed is responsible."

Event organizers hope about 50 people will participate, Partridge-Domer said. "We’re reaching out to like-minded people who care about the water and the river. We want to draw people who have an interest in learning about the river. They can come out on the water and enjoy the day."

In addition to presentations about how the health of the river locally impacts the rest of the watershed, officials will share information on the river’s historic, geological and natural views. Participants will also learn about water quality testing on the river.

The nonprofit SJRWI was created in 1996 with a goal to protect, restore and enjoy the St. Joseph River and its watershed, Partridge-Domer said. The watershed covers nearly 700,000 acres in eight counties in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

"(The SJRWI), along with its partners, have brought almost $4 million into the watershed for public education, water quality testing, research and conservation techniques," she said. "The Initiative is a wonderful organization that does an amazing job of protecting the natural resources and water quality in the St. Joe River watershed."

The cost of the day is $15 per person or $25 for two. The registration deadline is Oct. 1. Included in the fee is a box lunch, transportation to the launch site and educational materials. To rent a canoe or kayak for the day, contact Fort Wayne Outfitters directly at 260-420-3962. Reservations should be made to ensure the availability of a canoe or kayak, as supplies may be limited. Fees apply.

Participants are to meet between 10:30-11:30 a.m. Oct. 4 at Riverside Gardens Park in Leo-Cedarville and will be shuttled to the launch site in Spencerville, a few miles to the north. The river trip back to the park is expected to take 4-5 hours. For more information and to register, visit www.sjrwi.org