Passages of a Stream: A Chronicle of the Meramec

Should the Meramec have been dammed? In 1978, nearly two-thirds of the voters in eastern Missouri said no, calling for a halt in construction by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The dam would have stopped this free-flowing Ozark stream as it meanders toward the Mississippi just below St. Louis, impounding thirty-three miles of the upper Meramec and inundating 23,000 acres, much of which is prime farmland. Besides providing an account of the dam controversy, PASSAGES OF A STREAM traces the Meramec from its prehistoric beginnings, explaining in laymen’s terms the geological difference between Ozark streams and those in other regions; the limestone caves and “spongeworks”, the sprigs and sediments, the eons-old bluffs and ever-shifting bars. Jackson also describes the flora and fauna in and around the Meramec, as well as their relation to their habitat. He then defines the historical and cultural significance of the 19th and 20th centuries, when the effects of farming and industry began to undermine the vitality of the stream and valley, when flood control and pollution became legitimate concerns. Jackson concludes with modern problems of flood control, especially in light of the widely publicized discovery of dioxin at Times Beach, on the banks of the lower Meramec. Ironically, such notoriety might contribute significantly to public awareness essential the stream’s safe passage into the 21st century.