This plaque marks the high water point for the Great Flood of 1993. On August 1, 1993 the Mississippi River reached 49.58 feet, the highest water level ever reported in the City of St. Louis. The flood affected many Midwestern states and caused 50 deaths and billions of dollars in damages. Stand on the Grand Staircase and try to imagine the water reaching the bottom of this plaque and the power of all that water. Can you or someone in your group remember the flood? How did it affect your family and friends? Do you think the river will ever reach this high again?  

This place is not accessible if you are unable to use stairs. You can see the location of the plaque from the top of the Grand Staircase. If you would like to descend to street level without using stairs, there are ramps on either side of the stairs.