The Historical Struggle with Floods on the Mississippi River Basin

Abstract

For the past 150 years a titanic struggle has been underway between the people of the Mississippi River basin and its floods. Humans first tried to control the floods with structures, channel straightening, levees, dams, and reservoirs, but after 100 years and the expenditure of billions of dollars; losses to property and lives continued to grow. Efforts since the 1950s to encourage land-use changes in flood-prone areas and the use of flood insurance often have been thwarted by government relief and continuing human desire to reside in floodplains. During the massive floods in 1993, 1996, and 1997 only ten percent of the residents of flooded areas had flood insurance. The river system brings enormous economic value to the United States, and interests in protecting and enhancing the natural environment of the river are often in direct conflict with economic interests. Flood mitigation is often caught in the middle of the debate about how to manage the river system to satisfy all interests. Recent floods have taught several key lessons about environmental blessings and dangers, and reveal that the nation's policies regarding flood mitigation/relief must change with more emphasis on personal responsibility. The huge and costly infrastructure built to control the major rivers for floods and navigation is aging and will soon need replacement, offering an opportunity to better handle future flood mitigation to satisfy the basin's complex mix of economic, human, and environmental interests.