Councilman Charles Groeteke plans to hold an open house to educate his constituents about the Rock Creek watershed and share solutions for living and thriving in the flood-prone area.
The event, called “Living with Water: An Introduction to Your Rock Creek Watershed,” will be held 4:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Mastodon State Historic Site pavilion, 1800 Seckman Road, in Imperial.
Representatives from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson County Public Works Department, University of Missouri Extension and others will be at the event to answer questions.
“I’m working with lots of different agencies to put together an open house for people to come talk about the watershed, and the effect the water has on where they live in Seckman Valley,” Groeteke said. “The focus of this is trying to educate people about water, where it’s got to go, what agencies are involved and what we can do to help ourselves.”
The Rock Creek Watershed extends from the Mississippi River at Kimmswick, through Imperial and the Seckman Valley. It includes a small sliver of southern Arnold. A watershed, or drainage basin, is an area of land that funnels rainfall to creeks, streams and rivers, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Seckman Road, which is parallel to Rock Creek through Seckman Valley, has been prone to flash flooding in the past. Last summer, the Jefferson County Public Works Department was forced to close a portion of Seckman Road after significant rainfall led to flooding.
Among other factors, the flash flooding was making it difficult for construction workers to finish an improvement project along a 1-mile stretch of Seckman Road from the West Outer Road to the entrance of the state park. The road was closed from May 28, 2024, to Aug. 19, 2024, allowing crews to raise the road by 5 feet and widen the shoulders.
Heavy rains in July 2024 forced the Fox C-6 School District to close Seckman High School’s athletic stadium due to turf damage.
Flash flooding last November forced the Mastodon State Historic Site to close its picnic area and a walking trail for more than a week while crews worked to restore the grounds.
Groeteke, who represents District 4, including Kimmswick, portions of Pevely, Imperial and Barnhart, said he decided to hold the open house after numerous conversations with representatives from Missouri State Parks, the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District, the University of Missouri Extension Office, Jefferson County Stream Teams, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Jefferson County Stormwater Division, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, private citizens and other stakeholders.
“These discussions led to the decision to host a public educational event designed to inform residents about the Rock Creek Watershed, the challenges it faces, and the role each of us plays in its preservation,” he said. “The event will highlight the effects of development and changing weather patterns, while promoting strategies to enhance and protect this valuable natural resource.”
For more information on the open house, call Groeteke at 636-535-3352 or email him at cgroeteke@jeffcomo.org.