Mayors Meet in U City to Discuss Challenges of River des Peres

The mayors of , Olivette, Creve Coeur and Pagedale gathered at in University City on Monday evening to discuss challenges the River des Peres poses in their communities.

"All of you here have some part of the the River des Peres going through your towns," said Eric Karch, Chair of the River des Peres Watershed Coalition. "A lot of folks don't think about these little creeks as the River des Peres, but it's all the River des Peres." 

Karch said the major concerns with the river involve sewage run-off and flooding. He said that in St. Louis both the sewage and the rainwater all go into one pipe. When it's not raining, it's not a problem. But when it's raining, the water needs somewhere to go and by design, it goes up into the creek or into people's basements.

Karch said there are things residents can do in their backyards to help the flooding and combined sewer overflow issues. He said rain gardens and rain barrels are relatively inexpensive solutions.

"We can help people harvest the rainwater and hold a little bit of that back on their property. And if everyone holds a little of that back it's less to be flooding. It's less to be causing the pipes to overflow into the stream," Karch said.

Pagedale Mayor Mary Carter was very excited about the prospect of putting rain gardens in parks in her area where water pools. "It's cheaper than putting in drains," she said, adding "I can't wait for my rain garden."

University City Mayor Shelley Welsch said she believes residents need to be given some basic education on how watersheds work. "I don't think people connect it."

"I don't think everyone in Olivette for instance or Creve Coeur understand that the water that is running off their property in Creve Coeur is ending up in Olivette and in U City," said Welsch. 

She noted that finally got under way recently, and that residents who remain in the floodplain wondering when their buyout will come are being unrealistic.

"Our next buyout is 30 million dollars," she said. "And we have no plans for another buyout."