Big Muddy Speaker Series Comes to St. Charles Wednesday

St. Charles is nestled between two mighty rivers, but how much do you know about either one? 

Friends of the Big Muddy and Missouri River Relief are bringing a speaker series about the Big Muddy (the Missouri River) to St. Charles starting Wednesday evening. Speaker sessions will be held on the second Wednesday of each month at . The next will be Aug. 8. 

Friends of the Big Muddy has partnered with other groups to put on the series in Kansas City and in Rocheport, MO, in an effort to increase awarensss of issues related to the river, according to organization's website.  The series started in 2009. 

Speakers have covered everything from restoring the Missouri River to farming along the river. 

On Wednesday, Tom Bell, manager of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Big Muddy Refuge and Diana Oerly, president of the Friends of the Big Muddy will talk about conservation, history and recreation on the river at Big A's. 

Bell will talk about the history of the refuge and plans for restoration projects, according to information posted on the River Relief website. 

Plan to arrive at 5 p.m. at Big A's to go on an hour-long walking tour of downtown St. Charles and the river. If you'd like to skip the tour, plan to be at Big A's by 6 p.m. Presentation will start at 6:30 p.m.

The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge includes more than 16,700 acres of land near the Missouri River. In the St. Louis area, Cora Island is a part of the refuge. It's located in north eastern St. Charles County, near the Confluence Point State Park. Click here to see a map.