Posted 3:02 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, 2025
Operation: RiverWatch prioritizes safety, seeks volunteers for new year
Operation: RiverWatch is back for another school year, and students can join the effort to help keep the community safe.
A student-led initiative launched in 2006, Operation: RiverWatch deploys a team of volunteers to monitor Riverside Park in downtown La Crosse during overnight hours, with the goal of preventing river-related deaths and other potential emergencies.
The program operates Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights (11 p.m. to 3 a.m.) during the academic year, contingent on the availability of volunteers.
Students can learn more and sign up online.
Emma Wittman, president of the UWL Student Association, says student leadership are looking forward to participating in the program for another year.
“Not only do we strive to help our community, strengthening the bonds between our student leaders and the local area, but we come together as a city and as a county with a shared goal of safety,” Wittman says. “UWL recognizes the necessity of this program and the importance of community and campus involvement. We encourage any and all students to volunteer when possible."
Operation: RiverWatch is a collaborative effort among students at La Crosse’s three colleges: UW-La Crosse, Viterbo University and Western Technical College. Campuses take turns covering weekly shifts. School leaders and local law enforcement help oversee and support the program.
When Operation: RiverWatch is in action, a team of volunteers patrols the walkway above the levee in Riverside Park, watching for anyone entering the area. Volunteers inform visitors that the park is closed after hours, redirecting them away from the river.
While the vast majority of interactions end without incident, volunteers are advised to contact the La Crosse Police Reserves, located nearby, if additional assistance is required.
Operation: Riverwatch offers additional support during Oktoberfest, the busiest weekend of the year in downtown La Crosse, with extra volunteers patrolling the riverside.
The engagement of volunteers is vital to the program, and this is especially true after Sigma Tau Gamma, the UWL fraternity that helped found and spearhead the program, disbanded in fall 2024.
During the 2024-25 academic year, UWL partnered with the Student Association to create a program incentivizing students to volunteer with Operation: RiverWatch. UWL student organizations who volunteer are now eligible to receive financial support for their club.
“We realize that many of our students are balancing not just school, but work, family, social lives and other responsibilities. So, we’re extremely grateful to those who find the time to volunteer in any capacity, and particularly with the tough hours of Operation: RiverWatch” says Jacob Hart, associate director for Student Engagement & Leadership for UWL University Centers. “Our students and our community partners understand the importance of this program, and they share our desire to ensure La Crosse is a safe community for all.”