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A Flood of Development | 10 years later
| The Flood of '93 inundated the Midwest, with damage totalling at least $12 billion. Soon after, some saw a way to turn the river bottoms into gold mines. The Post-Dispatch looks at how and why it happened, what's at stake, and for whom. |
A Flood of Development: Unprecedented growth in the flood plain brings riches and risks07/27/2003 Flood plain development is a gamble against the river, and Missouri has rolled the dice on more land than any other state affected by the Great Flood of 1993, according to a study done for the Post-Dispatch. [more]
Investment of $400 million flows into Chesterfield Valley 07/27/2003 Ten years after it was devastated by the Flood of '93, the Chesterfield Valley has become a retail hot spot. Its success has led other cities to develop in flood plains. [more]
Missouri lacks rules on flood plain development07/27/2003 States differ on rules covering flood plains. [more]
FLOOD PLAIN DEVELOPMENT STUDY07/27/2003 Highlights and background on the floodplain development study. Who did it, how it was done, highlights. [more]
Who's responsible for flood plains?07/27/2003 A breakdown on federal, state and local responsibility for flood plain management. [more]
A guide to flood plain vocabulary07/27/2003 Some glossary words to know. [more]
Disaster unfolded in 30 minutes 07/27/2003 It started with a tiny hole on that July day in 1993, expanding quickly to a 12-inch gash. [more]
Tax revenue paid for improved levee07/27/2003 In the wake of the Flood of 1993, a tall order came down on the leadership of Chesterfield Valley. [more]
Thousands may not be aware they're investing in flood plains07/27/2003 Thousands may not be aware they are building in flood plain. [more]
Cities look to flood plains for jobs, growth, tax dollars07/28/2003 Development projects under way or on the drawing board could turn 14,000 acres of local flood plain into business parks, retail centers, subdivisions and other developments. The goal? To duplicate or beat the success of Chesterfield Valley 10 years after the flood. [more]
Insurers say levees, old and new ones, are source of worry07/27/2003 A surge of development in flood plains has insurance companies casting a nervous eye at the levees that protect much of the new construction. [more]
Howard Bend Levee District: Property owners and Harrah's will foot the bill for higher levee07/27/2003 The development plan for 8,600 acres of flood plain in Maryland Heights lacks one element that aided similar projects in Chesterfield and St. Charles - a public subsidy. [more]
Region's risk of flooding is subject of rising debate07/30/2003 Some university geologists say the height of floods is rising. The Corps of Engineers says local river towns face no greater risk of flooding now than they did in '93. [more]
Tale of two cities: Close calls for Hannibal and St. Louis07/30/2003 The debate over flood risk has implications for hundreds of thousands of people living near major rivers in the Midwest.
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Some firms don't worry about flood; others plan ahead07/30/2003 The Missouri River doesn't scare John Wild. Or so he says. [more]
Cities, states try new ways to live with flood plains07/31/2003 The confluence of economics, geography and Missouri politics promises an uphill battle for those who would like to see undeveloped flood plains left in their natural state. [more]
Flood plain buyout programs 07/31/2003 Cities, counties move people out of harm's way. [more]
City on the move07/31/2003 Valmeyer tries to put flood behind it . [more]
On flood's 10th anniversary, leaders celebrate Chesterfield Valley's growth07/31/2003 When the Monarch Levee succumbed to the Missouri River a decade ago, Chesterfield Valley business owners were left with a difficult choice. [more]
Timeline of events from the Flood of '9307/22/2003 Review a summary of big events from the Flood of '93 and link to related photos and stories that ran in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the time. [more]
A man rescued from floodwaters in Chesterfield07/25/2003 All archival video provided courtesy of Fox 2 News, KTVI. Video requires RealPlayer. [more]
How development affects flooding07/21/2003 Review an interactive graphic contrasting developed and undeveloped areas near rivers. Requires Flash. [more]
Regulating floodplain development07/21/2003 This interactive graphic explains how the Federal Emergency Management Agency regulates development along floodplains. Requires Flash. [more]
Understanding levees07/21/2003 This interactive graphic explains what levees are, how they work and why they fail. Requires Flash. [more]
Where the flooding happened07/21/2003 A map showing the counties declared disaster areas in the Flood of '93. [more]
Current photos from the series07/25/2003 See images of flood plain development and other related photos from the Post-Dispatch series, "A Flood of Development." [more]
Flood images from our readers07/25/2003 Online readers send in some of their personal images from the flood of '93. [more]
Mississippi River07/25/2003 Photos from the Post-Dispatch archives of flooding along the Muddy Miss. [more]
Missouri River07/25/2003 Archive photos from the Post-Dispatch of flooding along the Mighty Mo. [more]
Meramec River and River Des Peres07/25/2003 Archive photos from the Post-Dispatch of flooding along the two rivers. [more]
30 who died in Illinois and Missouri08/15/1993 The Great Flood of 93 took the lives of 50 people. Here are capsules on the lives -- and deaths -- of 30 who died in Missouri and Illinois. [more]
In their own words: readers share moving stories of the Great Flood of '93 09/05/1993 I am 11 years old and I wanted to help the people who were hurt by the flood this year. [more]
Residents of Valmeyer-to-be weigh their choices of lots12/19/1993 While officials were shoveling symbolic dirt, future residents were studying the site plan for the new Valmeyer. [more]
Flooding takes no holiday07/04/1993 In the "War Room" of the Army Corps of Engineers' downtown offices, the flooding Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois... [more]
What if ...how the Flood of '93 might have been different12/26/1993 On Aug. 1, the Mississippi River overtopped two Illinois levees, engulfing the town of Valmeyer. [more]
U.S. Geological Survey07/16/2003 Read information and view photos from the 1993 flood from this government agency. [more]
Association of State Floodplain Managers07/16/2003 This group represents a number of professionals in fields relating to flooding. [more]
Federal Emergency Management Agency07/16/2003 Get information on flood management from this federal agency. [more]
Army Corps of Engineers07/16/2003 The Corps has this special page for the 1993 flood. [more]
Natural Hazards Center07/16/2003 This site from the University of Colorado is a national and international clearinghouse for information on natural hazards and human adjustments to hazards and disasters. [more]
Flow Frequency Study07/16/2003 This study, released in June, details water flow on the Upper Mississippi River system. [more]
Howard Bend Future Land Use Plan07/16/2003 This site includes information on plans to develop parts of Maryland Heights. [more]
Overview of Part I: A flood of development07/23/2003 Today the Post-Dispatch begins a five-part series looking at the 10 years since the Flood of '93, the boom in develop and how our floodplains are managed. Read our overview, then dive deeper into our complete package. [more]
Overview of Part II: A boom in the valley07/23/2003 Chesterfield Commons, billed as the country's largest strip shopping center, has sprouted and sprawled in the Chesterfield Valley since floodwater receded. How and why did it happen? [more]
Overview of Part III: Cities jump aboard for development07/23/2003 Environmental groups and conservationists fear building on ground that has repeatedly flooded is folly. Meanwhile, cities don't want to let the building boom pass them by. [more]
Overview of Part IV: Flood protection, or increasing flood risk?07/29/2003 A growing body of scientific research has found that the Missouri and Mississippi rivers have become increasingly flood-prone, and part of the reason is the very structures that are supposed to protect people from floods. [more]
Overview of Part V: Dealing with flood plain development07/23/2003 Environmental groups and conservationists fear building on ground that has repeatedly flooded is folly. Meanwhile, cities don't want to let the building boom pass them by. [more]
Overengineering of rivers is driven by greed09/15/2003 It is essential that the public be fully informed about the issue of flood plain development, especially in light of 1993's disastrous flood and the plans to develop large portions of the flood plains in the St. Louis area. [more]
A strong environment relies on a strong economy09/15/2003 Ten years after the Great Flood of 1993, the debate still rages over how to manage our rivers A strong environment relies on a strong economy. [more]
Going bare08/08/2003 THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE Program saved thousands of St. Louis area families from destitution during the flood of 1993. [more]
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