Howard Bend Levee District

Our Website will routinely post recent news, meeting minutes, picture galleries, and other basic information about the Howard Bend Levee District. A summary description of the District, its history and its flood protection and stormwater management systems and utility systems is included as well as contact information for the District's Executive Director to obtain more information if needed. The Howard Bend Levee District is situated along the Missouri River in St. Louis County between the Riverport/Earth City area and Chesterfield Valley. It consists of approximately 8500 acres of land of which approximately 6500 are protected by a 500 year levee from Missouri River floods. Major assets which this levee protects include the Missouri-American water plant, the City of St. Louis Water Division water plant, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Howard bend waste water treatment plant, the Hollywood Casino and Hotel, the Creve Coeur Airport and Creve Coeur Park as well a network of major highways spanning the District. The 500 year levee along the Missouri River provides protection equivalent to that level of protection provided in adjacent areas of Chesterfield, Riverport and Earth City. Access to the District is provided by a network of major highways. Missouri Highway 364, a ten lane limited access highway and Missouri Highway 141, a six lane divided highway, meet at an interchange in the center of the District. Interstate highways 64, 70 and 270 are all within a five minute or less drive of the District. The St. Louis Lambert International Airport is located approximately five miles east of the District along Interstate Highway 70.

NEWS UPDATE:

With 2020 forecasts of flooding similar to 2019, the Howard Bend Levee District began this year preparing to respond to interior flooding in the District. Fortunately, to date the threat of flooding has not been realized. While the area has received several above-normal rainfall events during the last several months, the Missouri River has not reached the levels seen last year, which helps tremendously with the stormwater drainage.

As reported in the last update at the end of 2019, the pump station committee efforts are continuing. Currently, that work is focusing on how to move forward with the current design and alternatives, as well as financing alternatives.

In January 2020, the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) commission, voted not to move forward with the TIF proposal for the Maryland Park Planning area. That proposal was designed to help fund infrastructure in the District, including pump stations. That vote has been challenged in court by the City of Maryland Heights, and to date there has been no resolution in that case.

Routine maintenance on the levee system and associated structures, has continued uninterrupted despite the challenges of the current COVID-19 situation.

The annual landowners meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, 2020. This meeting will be held in a virtual format, due to restrictions put in place by St. Louis County in late July. The meeting notice, with instructions on how to register and participate, were mailed to landowners in early August. Instructions for registering for the annual meeting, as well as meeting materials, are also available on the District’s website.