Restoring the Glory

Restoring the Glory. The River Returns. , The River Des Peres once ran through Forest Park, carving through the landscape and shaping the Park's ecosystems. The river and the Park changed greatly as a result of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Increased development at that time caused the river to become unsanitary and prone to flooding, so a portion of it was temporarily diverted underground and covered with wood and dirt for the Exposition's duration. By 1930, the entire river running through the Park was placed underground, where it still flows today in a pair of 32-foot-tall cement tunnels. , In 1995, the Forest Park Master Plan outlined the design of a new waterway in the Park. Constructed from 1999 to 2004, this restored stream system connects previously isolated lakes and ponds within the Park and creates an essential passageway for wildlife. This ambitious project, funded by the City of St. Louis and Forest Park Forever, has reduced water use by half, provided a natural filter for water runoff in the Park and forms a corridor for visitors and wildlife to enjoy., A Revived Riparian Corridor , In Forest Park, a 'riparian buffer' surrounds much of the waterway, spanning nearly the full length of the Park and forming an important corridor with water, shelter and forage for many wildlife species. Visitors frequently see a wide array of songbirds, pollinators and even the occasional mink or muskrat roaming along the stream banks. Adding a water source to a yard improves the neighborhood ecosystem for wildlife, too! ,