Appendix, The River Today Summary

The Mississippi River today is managed by a plan called Project Flood. The project features several enhancements to the 1920s levees-only plan. A large floodway parallels the river in the north, yielding an area 5 miles wide by 65 miles long as a natural reservoir. Stronger levees line most of the river. Cutoffs have shortened the river by 150 miles and increased its rate of flow. A large structure portions water between the Mississippi and Atchafalaya. Finally, a concrete spillway has been constructed above New Orleans to allow water to flow into Lake Pontchartrain. Still, the plan has problems and shortcomings and must be continually revised.

Appendix, The River Today Analysis

The appendix includes information on the Mississippi River management programs at the time of publication (1997), noting that to date they have been generally successful. The text was written prior...