The vision of long
term preservation of the Confluence region
sets out a concept of a joint venture partnership.
This loose partnership of public agencies
and private organizations will develop and
initiate the goal of conserving, restoring,
and maintaining approximately 30,000 acres
of habitat and flood plain at the confluence
of North America's two largest rivers through
conservation easements, agricultural easements
and private and public land acquisitions.
This partnership concept is a creative approach
to preserve flood plain land for its agricultural
heritage, wildlife habitat, and water storage
capacity.
Land preservation
will be conducted on a landscape level through
a series of land and conservation easement
acquisitions/donations on a willing seller/donor
basis.
Here is
how conservation of the Confluence Flood Plain
makes good ecological and economic sense:
For 150 years local
landowners have farmed the flood plain alternatively
betting against drought and flooding. Despite
the changing conditions, the confluence flood
plain provides some of the most productive
farmland in the country.
The farmers who wish
to continue farming operations and keep their
farms in production for future generations
can take advantage of various agricultural
easement programs which may provide additional
income.
The Confluence Flood
Plain is habitat for many fish and bird species
including threatened and endangered species
such as the American Bald Eagle and Pallid
Sturgeon. Sixty percent of North America's
waterfowl passes over the Confluence semiannually. Untold
millions of migratory birds follow the same
route. The Confluence is also habitat
for fisheries that are rich and diverse, ranging
from Pallid Sturgeon and gar to the largemouth
bass, catfish and crappies. In addition,
the Confluence is a home for mussels, mammals,
flora and fauna.
Protection and restoration
of the Confluence Flood Plain are critical
for regional river restoration activities. Also,
conservation of the Confluence Flood Plain
enhances community recreation opportunities;
it provides ideal place for nature tours,
wetland education programs; and it increases
public hunting opportunities.
The Midwest Flood
of 1993 was a hydro meteorological event unprecedented
in recent times. It was caused by excessive
rainfall that occurred throughout a significant
section of the upper Mississippi River Basin. The
Confluence Flood Plain held 260 billion gallons
of water in July of 1993. In St. Louis,
the city's flood wall marked at 52 feet above
flood stage, was within 18 inches of being
topped at the peak of flooding. The Mississippi
River narrows to 1,200 feet beneath the St.
Louis Arch. During periods of excessive
flooding, this hourglass of the Mississippi
River depends greatly on the storage capacity
of natural flood plains, such as the Confluence
Flood Plain in St. Charles County. Without
the Confluence Flood Plain the fate of the
City of St. Louis during the '93 flood event
would certainly have been grim.
The massive Confluence
Flood Plain in St. Charles and Lincoln Counties
contains 100,000 acres of flood plain at the
convergence of the Mississippi and Missouri
Rivers. This flood plain currently is
without a 100-year levee. This could
change within the next several years if development
continues on the Confluence Flood Plain. The
time is now to expedite efforts to preserve
the flood plain.
