Big Muddy Speaker Series presents:
Bangert Island - A discussion on future development
This month's meeting will have multiple speakers discussing future plans affecting the 160-acre Louis H. Bangert Memorial Wildlife Area and the Katy Trail State Park located on the banks of the Missouri River.
Louis H. Bangert Memorial Wildlife Area is a rich section of floodplain forest located on the west bank of the Missouri River in St. Charles, MO, just south (upstream) of the Ameristar Casino. A small bridge crosses a silted-in side channel allowing access from the Katy Trail for bikers and hikers to the occasionally flooded former island. The area is owned by the Mo. Dept. of Conservation and managed as a park by St. Charles County Parks.
On Tuesday, October 2nd, St. Charles City Council voted to purchase Bangert from the Dept. of Conservation. This opens up the possibility that the Corps of Engineers will recreate the island by excavating a side channel near the existing silted-in slough as part of their habitat mitigation project. This, in turn, could open up new waterfront property adjacent to downtown St. Charles, along the Katy Trail.
Map of the trails on Bangert Wildlife Area in St. Charles County. Courtesy of Gateway Off-Road Cyclists.
Greenway Network encourages all of the government agencies, elected representatives, civic organizations and our citizens to work together to develop a park and open space plan for this beautiful section of the Missouri River. The St. Charles Parks Eco-Park on the Missouri River in north St. Charles and the proposed 110 Acres Park nearby would be great examples of what can be done in our floodplains.
Meet Your Presenter
Greenway Network
Related Presentations
Resources & Links
Dig deeper for more info on this topic -
- Bangert Wildlife Area info from MDC.
- "St. Charles council OK's purchase of Bangert Island" - by Mark Schlinkmann, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Oct. 8, 2014
- "Work together to develop section of river in St. Charles" - by Greg Poleski, Greenway Network, Oct. 16, 2014
- Trail info from Gateway Off-Road Cyclists.
- In 2009, a development plan for the area was created, dubbed "Harbor San Carlos". Some aspects of the plan, such as a marina, do not appear to be possible because of the shallow water habitat requirements of the proposed Corps chute. But here's a look back at some of those ideas:
- "$1.5 Billion project inches forward" - article by Kelsey Volkmann, St. Louis Business Journal, Nov. 9, 2009.
- A slideshow rendering of the development by the architecture firm hired by the city to design it.
- "St. Charles OKs talks on 300 acre Harbor San Carlos" - article by Mark Schlinkmann, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Nov. 4, 2009
The Big Muddy Speakers Series in St. Charles
is hosted by these wonderful partners:
- Greenway Network
- Missouri River Relief
- Friends of Big Muddy
- Big Muddy Adventures
- Big Muddy National Fish & Wildlife Refuge
- Big A’s Restaurant
All speakers are presenting for free and Big A’s is sharing the space for free! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us!
The Big Muddy Speaker Series also takes place monthly in Rocheport and Kansas City.
A special thank you to Greg Poleski of Greenway Network and Mike Clark of Big Muddy Adventures for making this happen!
Upcoming Presentations
Leave No Trace Training on the Barge
October 14, 2026St. Louis, MO
Join us for a special Big Muddy Speaker Series on the Living Lands & Waters Barge where Perry Whitaker will lead us in a Leave No Trace Training.
See Event
Missouri River Relief: 25 Years on the Big Muddy
November 10, 2026Columbia, MO
Join us for a journey through time celebrating 25 years of Missouri River Relief's work on the Big Muddy.
See Event
Plastic Pollution, Gulf Hypoxia, and Water Quality
November 11, 2026St Charles, MO
Jennifer Wendt from MidAmerica Clean Future guides us through understanding regional water quality challenges.
See Event