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September 18, 2006
And You Thought Your Last Move Was Tough
Today's NY Times has an article hinting that a big move may be in the works: there is talk of shifting the Mississippi River to help the Louisiana coastline, which has suffered terribly since the levee system emerged in the 19th century, in the process depriving the coast of most of the sediment that had revitalized it for millenia. I think that events like Katrina have moved this from an abstract notion to a practical possibility meriting serious consideration. But it isn't just Katrina: the massive Mississippi floods of 13 years ago still loom large in the time frame over which river planning unfolds (not quite geological time, but this is not as straightforward a matter as building a car dealership). Of course, there is a problem (isn't there always?). The levees were put there for a reason: to reduce the amplitude of what had been the roller coaster of life and commerce along the river. I agree that, in the long run, the levee system has probably been an unmitigated environmental disaster. But in the shorter term, life on a less regulated river will mean just one thing: buckle up.
Posted by dag at September 18, 2006 10:27 PM