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Greetings!
The first day of summer isn't the only upcoming and exciting date in June. The 2010 Deer Creek Tributaries Naming Project ends June 30th, so please mark your calendars and send in your submissions. Our Spring 2010 Deer Creek Friends meeting on April 29th proved to be a great educational opportunity. Attendees were able to become more informed about how their concerns are being addressed in the Deer Creek Watershed Management Plan as well as learn about the wonderful things that local schools are doing to benefit the watershed.
Would you like to get some hands-on habitat restoration experience? If so, please consider joining the River des Peres Watershed Coalition at their upcoming Mona Terrace and Deer Creek Park events in July. You can find more information about these events below.
Wishing you a great summer,
Rick Holton
Chairman, Deer Creek Watershed Friends |
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Join Us on Facebook
The Deer Creek Watershed Alliance is now on Facebook. We welcome your posts and would love to hear more about what citizens are doing to improve the Deer Creek Watershed.
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Last Chance to Name a Tributary in the Deer Creek Watershed!
Deer Creek Tributaries Naming Project ends June 30th!
The Deer Creek Watershed Alliance wants to remind you to submit your tributary naming suggestions ASAP. The Deer Creek Tributaries Naming Project deadline is June 30th, so your naming submissions must be received by this date.  Visit the tributary naming page on our website today! You will be able to view detailed maps of the area to find your location as well as submit your suggestion electronically. There is also a list of simple guidelines to follow when making your recommendations. We can't wait to see what our community comes up with!
There are more than 30 unnamed tributaries in the Deer Creek Watershed waiting to be bestowed with the proper name or the restoration of its historical one. All naming recommendations approved by local municipalities and endorsed by St. Louis Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will be submitted to the Missouri Board on Geographic Names, who in turn intend to showcase their recommendations at the Council of Geographic Names Authorities 2010 International Conference to be held this fall in Springfield, MO.
All names receiving final approval by the U. S. Board on Geographic Names will be listed in the Geographic Names Information System and may be included on future publications of U.S.G.S. topographical maps.
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Deer Creek Friends Spring 2010 Meeting
Schools in Action Benefiting the Deer Creek Watershed
Rain barrel system detains 700 gallons of water from the 3400 sq. ft. roof at The College School |
The Deer Creek Friends Spring Meeting proved to be a great educational and networking opportunity. Attendees engaged area professionals from Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and Missouri Botanical Garden with questions and exchanged information about improving the health of the Deer Creek Watershed.
In addition, here's what representatives had to say about what their schools are doing:
Tim Wood, The College School
The College School has implemented rain barrels, invasive species control, and native plantings. They have completed a permeable parking lot, rain garden, and two environmental play spaces with a third on the way. They have a Stream Team and have worked to improve Deer Creek for over 25 years. For more information visit http://www.thecollegeschool.org/.
Scott Deken, John Burroughs School
Burroughs School constructed a biorentention system in 2007 to provide for detention of storm water run-off from the parking lot.
See http://science.jburroughs.org/sdeken/bioretention.htm. They are continuing to monitor a local stream, and are offering a new AP environmental science course next year.
MICDS Honeysuckle removal team in action.  | Elizabeth Petersen, Ladue Middle School
The entire 7th grade at Ladue MIdde School, Stream Team #76, gets trained in the Stream Team protocols and learns water chemistry testing. They test at Warson Road and Clayton Road in the fall every year. Plans are in the works to start a rain garden as well.
Tara Bonebrake, Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS) MICDS has begun a multi-year restoration project on a tributary of Deer Creek. They have been working on honeysuckle abatement as well as a major replanting of the stream bank with native Missouri plants.
The Watershed Management Plan
The main focus of the meeting was a review and discussion of the Deer Creek Watershed Management Plan. The Deer Creek Watershed planning presentation gave residents and landowners in the watershed an opportunity to see how their issues and concerns are being addressed and to ask questions about the watershed planning process.
We look forward to seeing you at the next Deer Creek Friends meeting!
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| Deer Creek Watershed Alliance Accepts Award
The William C. Schock Clean Water Conservancy Award
Dian Schock, Rick Holton, Bevis Schock, and Mayor of Ladue, Irene Holmes pose to have their picture taken with The William C. Schock Clean Water Conservacy Award. Dian is the wife of the late William Schock, in whose name the award is presented. Bevis and Irene are his children. Rick Holton, who accepted the award on behalf of the Deer Creek Watershed Alliance, is the chairman of the Deer Creek Watershed Friends.
This award is given annually by the Open Space Council to individuals, companies, corporations or organizations that have made a significant contribution to the health and quality of the clean water resources of the St. Louis Region. The Award was presented at the Open Space Council's 45 Annual Meeting at Missouri Botanical Garden's Spink Pavilion on Thursday, May 27, 2010. |
Your Backyard: Upcoming Events In Your Area
Restoration Projects
River des Peres Watershed Coalition
July 5 & 21 from 4-6 PM. "Diggin' & Dinin" (Deer Creek Habitat Restoration) in Maplewood.
July 13 from 5-6:30 PM. "Tuesdays at the Terrace" (Mona Terrace Habitat Restoration) in University City.
For more information call 314-727-4232 or visit http://www.thegreencenter.org/rdp/ |
| "For many of us, water simply flows from a faucet, and we think little about it beyond this point of contact. We have lost a sense of respect for the wild river, for the complex workings of a wetland, for the intricate web of life that water supports."
- Sandra Postel
About the Deer Creek Watershed Alliance
Our purpose is to assess and improve the Deer Creek Watershed, with a focus on plant-based solutions. Please forward this email newsletter to your friends and encourage them to get involved. The Deer Creek Watershed Alliance is a project of Missouri Botanical Garden and its partners. This project is funded by project partners, the Mabel Dorn Reeder Foundation, and US EPA Region 7 through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (subgrant number G09-NPS-13), under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.
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