"Trying to build a better river than God." Amos, thread 84276. It cannot be better said. BS: Columnists and Hurricane Katrina

The problem began, in a very small way in the 18th century. Bits of riverfront were levied to keep floodwaters at bay. As time went on, more and more of the Mississippi River and its main tributaries were levied and walled, to keep the spring flood waters from the towns and adjacent land. Fields that once reaped the benefits of nutrients from the floods became fed with fertilizer and water from irrigation. More and more water was channeled downriver towards the Delta.
The Corps of Engineers, that group who believe that they can control Nature, with the support of legislators and the uninformed citizenry, looked upon their handiwork and said it was good. More and more water was funneled into the Delta and its distributaries, changing the shape of the land, creating erosion where land was needed and depositing new soil where it was not. Lafitte and Mark Twain would not recognize their river.

Water and fluids were pumped from the sediments underlying the growing City, the land not only subsided below sealevel but additional land was pumped dry and settled.

The little French and Spanish entreprenurial backwater grew into a mighty industrial center, with refineries and chemical plants and a large population to man the enterprises. More levees and walls were built to keep the water out. The Corps of Engineers were given more and more work- after all, no problem was believed to be beyond their means and skill.

Other priorities intervened, and their unceasing attempts to keep New Orleans dry slowed to a crawl- not that their efforts would have succeeded in the long run. The law makers had other uses for the money and men.

As to the immediate situation, no one cares to spend money for actions that might not be needed for a long time. Men and material were hundreds and thousands of miles away. There was no clear chain of command or infrastructure. Nothing had happened except in some little known foreign places, and plans could wait.

Of course, agencies were created with euphonious acronyms for high-sounding action names, hire staff and make speeches about security. Talk costs little.

The inevitable tragedy. And it will be repeated.

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Link shortened and title added. Holler if you don't like. --JC