Meramec River – Flooding
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Before railroads and roads, the Meramec River was a vital transport route for goods like pig iron and timber, facilitated by flatboats and steamboats. The river’s utility was challenged by seasonal flooding and low water levels, leading to the early development of rail and wagon roads.
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The Meramec Valley’s history reflects a continuous struggle involving the river, its unpredictable flooding, and human attempts at navigation and settlement. Spring floods from the Ozark watershed could devastate farmlands, exacerbated by runoff from tributaries like Fox Creek, LaBarque Creek, and Brush Creek. Major floods in Pacific have become more frequent, with only 3 between 1850 and 1915 but 5 since 1982, the latest in 2017, partly due to increased urban development.