The Deer Creek Watershed Alliance has been awarded The William C. Schock Clean Water Conservancy Award. This award is given annually by the Open Space Council to individuals, companies, corporations or organizations that have made a significant contribution to the health and quality of the clean water resources of the St. Louis Region. Past awards have gone to The Missouri Stream Team Program, The Monsanto Fund, Missouri River Relief, and Missouri American Water for their clean water stewardship.

William C. Schock was a prominent St. Louis attorney and member of the board of directors of the Open Space Council for the St. Louis Region. Mr. Schock had a love for our beautiful free-flowing Missouri rivers and streams. It was William Schock’s work in 1967 that lead to the development of Operation Clean Stream, a project designed to reverse the degradation of the Lower Meramec River. The project continues today after 42 years; the award is a tribute to Mr. Schock and a beacon for others to provide exemplary service to keep our rivers clean.

The award was presented at the Open Space Council’s 45th Annual Meeting at Missouri Botanical Garden’s Spink Pavillion on Thursday, May 27, 2010.

From left to right: Dian Schock, Rick Holton, Bevis Schock, and Mayor of Ladue, Irene Holmes. Dian is the wife of the late William Schock, in whose name the award is presented, and Bevis and Irene are his children. Rick Holton is the chairman of Deer Creek Watershed Friends.