The Greater Des Moines Water Trails project now has an incubator responsible for implementing the plan to turn central Iowa's rivers into a recreational amenity.

The Central Iowa Water Trails Incubator consists of several high-profile executives of prominent Des Moines-based companies, local elected officials, and leaders of nonprofit organizations. Its board has 22 members.

"We are going to make this happen," said Principal CEO Dan Houston, who was elected chair of the incubator's board of directors, in a news release. "While we have many miles to go, I am confident we have the right team of leaders and organizations to make water trails a reality for central Iowa."

The Greater Des Moines Water Trails plan will turn 150 miles of waterways in central Iowa into a recreational amenity. The entire plan will cost about $117 million.

The plan's centerpiece is a series of whitewater features that would replace three dangerous low-head dams along the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers and draw kayakers, paddlers and even surfers to the downtown waters. It also includes out-of-water activities like zip-lining and rock climbing.

The incubator will focus on fundraising, regional project coordination, the design and construction of the downtown dam-mitigation projects, environmental conservation efforts and education, inclusion, branding and marketing and the development of a longterm governance model.

►More:Downtown Des Moines water trails plan could generate $104M in tourism dollars in five years

Planners, led by the Great Outdoors Foundation, are expected to launch a capital campaign to raise about one-third of the project's costs from private donations. A fundraising feasibility study is ongoing. The rest would be paid for with local, state and federal dollars.

Members of the Central Iowa Water Trails Incubator board of directors: