You don’t have to live on the banks of the so-called “River Despair” to take an interest in the fate of the Father of Waters, the River des Peres.
When French priests settled on its banks in 1700, they found it to be a gentle, natural stream with diverse flora and fauna.Today, residents using I-44 to cross from Shrewsbury to St. Louis over this waterway pay little attention to it, unless it’s brewing up a stench. So, what happened?
Can the River des Peres ever be restored to a semblance of its former glory? Those are the kinds of questions being asked by members of the River des Peres Watershed Coalition. And they are doing something to address those questions.
Many communities across America have revitalized their urban streams. Does St. Louis have the will and energy to do it for the River des Peres? What do you think?
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