Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal

In Chapter 1 of "Down the River," Kolbert takes a ride on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. The canal is the result of a river diversion project. The Chicago River was initially diverted in order to redirect the city's sewage away from the urban center. The canal's waters are now filled with trash and litter. The canal is also used as a thruway for barges that haul "sand, gravel, and petrochemicals" (4). Engineers have also had to divert fish away from the waters in with electric barriers. Kolbert's trip down the canal teaches her about the effects of controlling nature.

Plaquemines Parish

In Chapter 2 of "Down the River," Kolbert describes her trip to Louisiana. She spends most of her time exploring the Plaquemines Parish, a region of land in the southeastern region of the state. The area is also "where the great funnel of...