UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. – One of the area’s top experts when it comes to the issue of flooding has stepped down from his position on University City’s Commission on Storm Water Issues amid frustration over what he describes as the city’s lack of urgency surrounding flood mitigation efforts.
Longtime Washington University professor and U-City resident Bob Criss fears city officials have not done enough to prepare for the next big flood. Criss, who has spent decades studying water systems, resigned from the commission on April 30.
Criss tells FOX 2 he’s communicated his concerns to city officials for years. He said the city’s flood warning system is in desperate need of upgrades, including new sensors. Criss also argues the city must strengthen codes for impervious surfaces and require the disclosure of flood history for rentals and home purchases.
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The debate over flood mitigation efforts came to a head last fall, when a developer proposed building nearly 100 townhomes near the River Des Peres. If approved, the development would have been built close to an area that was devastated by the historic flooding of the river in July of 2022, which impacted hundreds of people in University City alone…