Waterways Connect Us All

Waterways Connect Us All. River des Peres Headwaters. , River History , Many greenways trace the waterways that form the foundation of the communities in our region - this section of the Centennial Greenway traces the River des Peres. This river was formed during the Ice Age when a wall of rock and ice blocked the Mississippi River, forcing the water to carve out a new path which became the River des Peres. , In the 1600s, the Kaskaskia and Tamaroa people settled along the River des Peres. A few years later, two Jesuit priests built a mission at the mouth of the River des Peres. The mission existed for only three years, but the name remains today. The River des Peres name is French for "river of the fathers" who were the two priests. , From the Ice Age until the late 1800s, the River des Peres was a curving stream weaving through fertile prairies. For nearly 800 years, the Osage people stewarded the land along the river. After they were forcibly removed, many community members lost their connection to the waterway. , Our Watershed , Rainwater that falls and snow that melts in the 114 square mile River des Peres Watershed all drains into the River des Peres. From there, the water flows into the Mississippi River and continues to the Gulf of Mexico. Our actions - like littering trash or cleaning it up - impact the quality of life in the waterways in our region and downstream. , Native Habitats , Around Warson Park, native habitats provide food and shelter for wildlife and help people by cleaning our water and air. Each habitat has its own community of plants, animals, and fungi interacting with each other. Look out for hawks, songbirds, rabbits, deer, frogs, turtles, bees, and butterflies. , The savanna between Warson Road and the event lawn has native grasses, flowers, and more trees than a prairie but fewer than a woodland. , Community members are restoring the woodland habitat along the Sassafras Trail by replacing invasive plants such as bush honeysuckle with native flowers and trees. , The riparian habitat along the streambank has plants that soak up rainwater, filter pollution, and prevent flooding.