Of the entire usual assets that bless the us, none is extra very important than its water. The nation's rivers and streams offer very important navigation hyperlinks, hydropower, fishing, activity, and water for family, agricultural, and business use. whilst, they sometimes overrun cities and farms, smash estate, threaten livelihoods, and take lives.

Perhaps nowhere within the kingdom have the conflicting reasons of water improvement prompted extra reports, engineering responses, and public involvement than in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin—which comprises the biggest river basin swamp in North the USA. because the early 19th century, all degrees of presidency were concerned. The U. S. military Corps of Engineers' half within the basin's improvement comprises delivering flood keep watch over and holding navigable channels. this day, the Atchafalaya Basin serves as an incredible floodway to express Mississippi River water to the Gulf of Mexico. during this historical past, Dr. Reuss tells the advanced, yet attention-grabbing tale of the way neighborhood, nation, and federal enterprises have tried to reconcile conflicting visions for the basin. In so doing, he illuminates the interplay of politics, expertise, and setting. even though targeting one sector of the rustic, this booklet addresses many issues linked to the advance of water assets through the United States.

Part I: Assuming accountability * bankruptcy 1 - Early Flood regulate Efforts, Louisiana variety * Early Settlers and River Transportation * Clearing the Streams: The Beginnings of kingdom reduction * the 1st Federal Flood keep watch over Plan * the start of Federal tips: The Swampland Acts * bankruptcy 2 - Interregnum: becoming Federal Involvement * The Humphreys-Abbot record * The Civil battle and the Atchafalaya Basin * once again, the Levees * The Federal function raises * trade and Transportation within the Atchafalaya Basin * bankruptcy three - the opening query * The Mississippi River fee and the hole query * Navigation pursuits and the opening query * Floods and retailers * bankruptcy four - Apres Le Deluge: The Jadwin Plan * New treatments for outdated difficulties * The targeted Board * The Unwinding of the Jadwin Plan * half II: Defining accountability * bankruptcy five - The Politics of Engineering * The Critics and the Corps * Dredging * inner most estate and Public reliable: Levee Rights-of-Way * deepest estate and Public solid: Flowage Easements * bankruptcy 6 - Louisiana and Mississippi: The conflict Over Floodways * The Markham Plan * The Overton Act * genuine property difficulties * The 1938 and 1941 Flood keep watch over Acts * Morganza Floodway building * half III: The Burdens of accountability * bankruptcy 7 - The previous River challenge * Nature Takes the Low highway * looking solutions * getting ready the Plan * Authorization * development * Post-Construction difficulties * bankruptcy eight - permit the general public Be Heard: Reconciling a number of pursuits * The environment * Coordination or war of words? * game * turning out to be nation Involvement * bankruptcy nine - Environmental Activists and the Corps of Engineers * The nationwide flora and fauna Federation-Corps of Engineers contract * Institutional preparations and goals * deadlock and Reorientation * bankruptcy 10 - protecting the Turf * The Environmental security Agency's method * The Fish and natural world carrier Makes Its movement * Environmental concerns, outdated and New * bankruptcy eleven - Denouement? * actual property difficulties back * Political solution - and Irresolution * New Controversies and Steps towards Implementation * The doubtful destiny * Afterword: a feeling of position, a feeling of stability * Notes * Bibliography