Chapter 12 Summary

In 1922, the Mississippi River is rising. Based on a misunderstood bastardization of Eads and Humphreys' analyses, the Mississippi River Commission has established a policy of levees only, on the mistaken belief that the levees will direct the river's current in such a way as to deepen the river's channel. For decades, levees have been constructed which eliminate river reservoirs and outlets. This creates new farmland but also restricts the river and increases its flow. The flow, however, is insufficient to scour the riverbed and deepen the channel.

River flooding in 1912 and 1913 demonstrates the failure of the levees-only policy, but few choose to interpret the events correctly. Indeed, even Percy uses the flooding to obtain Federal money for further levee construction only. Policy reviews subsequent to the flooding generally recommend that the levees-only policy should remain in force and that levees should be strengthened...