Preserving the Florissant Karst
Shannon Howard | Oct 22, 2009 | Comments 5
A view from Sinks Road, so named because of the Old Jamestown area's many sinkholes
Anyone who drives down Old Jamestown Road can easily see that the area is a natural wonderland. But hiding beneath those dense forests and beautiful rolling hills is a treasure so unique that St. Louis County recently passed legislation to protect it.
Covering four square miles bordered roughly by Lindbergh Blvd, Old Halls Ferry, Hwy 367 and the Missouri River, the “Florissant Karst” is well known by geologists all over the world. Essentially it’s a landscape that has been carved out by millions of years of water, creating caves, underground rivers, springs and eventually sinkholes as the sedimentary limestone slowly dissolves.
The Florissant Karst offers the finest example of deep, funnel-shaped sinkholes in the Central United States. It also provides natural drainage for the Old Jamestown area, leading many to believe that it should be protected from certain kinds of development.
The first written record of the Florissant Karst was in 1797, when it was known as the "sinkhole area" in what was then Spanish territory.
Ken Smith, a civil engineer and the president of the Old Jamestown Association, has been working for 20+ years to protect the Florissant Karst. In 2008 he finally won a significant victory, when the St. Louis County Council voted to establish the Karst Preservation District.
Earlier this week, the county moved the process even further along, holding a public hearing as the next step in enacting stricter zoning regulations. If the planning commission votes on November 2 to approve the proposed zoning changes (and the county council agrees), any new development in the Karst Preservation District will have to meet stringent guidelines designed to protect the karst topography.
I won’t bore you with the zoning specifics (zzzzzz), but needless to say, this important legislation is vital to preserving one of North County’s most exceptional geological marvels. It’s expected to pass, and I hope it does.
Filed Under: Community
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K
When I was a kid, I used to ride my bike down Sink’s road (something I would never do now) to get to the river.. I’ve always loved this area of North County. I knew about the Sink Holes, but never knew it had an official title!! “The Florrisant Karst” has a nice ring to it.
I’m glad someone is working to keep it from being developed.
As a kid, I also used to ride my bike on Sinks and Old Jamestown. Now I look at it and think, “What the heck was I doing?!” Those roads are dodgy even for cars!
[...] In the Old Jamestown area, residents won further legal protections for the uniquely beautiful Florissant Karst. In the Spanish Lake area, a gorgeous new visitor center was built at the Confluence, helping to [...]
[...] I was thrilled to discover 825 Carrico Road, a circa-1905 farmhouse in the heart of the beautiful Florissant Karst, where sixty years have glided by with barely a [...]
[...] Mall was almost destined to fail at some point. Its remote location, in an area better known for natural wonders than great shopping, has always made it a tough sell. But now that Penney’s is closing [...]