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O'Fallon staff say recurring floods swamped James Park; burial mound in floodway limits protective options
Summary
City parks staff reported May 18 flooding at James Park that required two days of cleanup and said much of Dames Park, including a 2,000-year-old Native American burial mound area, sits in the floodway, limiting options for structural protection. Field closures for maintenance were also announced.
Parks staff told the O'Fallon Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on June 9 that heavy flooding at James Park on May 18 required four staff and two days of cleanup to remove silt and debris, though water levels receded within 8 to 12 hours after crests. "We have to power wash and clean the bathrooms, the playgrounds; get the silt off the road," the staff presentation said.
The board asked whether that floodwater reached scoreboard electronics; staff replied the scoreboard junction box is located high on the structure and the electrical components are out of the floodplain, so they do not expect damage to the scoreboard circuitry. Staff also said Sports Park and other facilities have different flood profiles and flood less frequently.
Board members raised concerns about an east-field area described in the meeting as a roughly 2,000-year-old Native American burial mound. Staff said portions of that area flood when Peru Creek overflows and that "95% of it is actually in floodway," limiting the city's ability to build walls, dikes or other permanent protective structures. Staff recalled a past fence around the mound that collected debris and was removed; they said current protections rely on a good stand of grass, native plantings and a concrete walkway to reduce erosion.
The report also covered operational impacts: Field 1 at James Park will remain closed until Sept. 1 for annual maintenance, and some back fields flood more frequently, prompting staff to close a rear entrance when necessary. The parks presentation noted staff aims to balance preservation with regulations that restrict structures in floodways.
The board did not direct new formal action on the burial mound at the meeting; staff described routine maintenance and erosion-control steps already in place. Members asked staff to continue monitoring and to report back with any further recommendations or data on frequency and impact of flooding.
