In chapter five of Acts of God, Ted Steinberg discusses a flood-prone area of Missouri that is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers – St. Charles County. Steinberg begins the chapter by mentioning the Deerfield Village Mobile Home Park. The author states that Deerfield Village is on a low-lying piece of land and susceptible to flooding. Indeed, in 1933 the Mississippi River surged over a levee and submerged this mobile home park. Steinberg contends that magnitude of the disaster was influenced by people in two ways: (1) the levee detrimentally impacted the wetlands of the watershed, which help to absorb floodwaters (2) flood insurance encouraged people to build in an area that is prone to flooding. Although the author points out the anthropogenic factors related to the disaster, most perceived the flood as a natural event. These two themes are prominent throughout the chapter: anthropogenic structures (such as levees) impacting flooding and the economic repercussions of living in a flood-prone area.
…show more content…
Charles County. Although floods consistently occurred in St. Charles County, the area continued to grow through the 20th century; the construction of the Alton Lock/Dam and Interstate 70 helped to increase development in the 1940s and 1950s. It is worth noting that most of the new development was located in the floodplain. By the 1960s there were two main groups in the area: the poor, who lived close to the Mississippi River or in mobile homes and the farmers, who had a higher economic status. In this chapter, Steinberg also elaborates on the establishment of the North County Levee District in 1977. This was an attempt to keep the waters of the rivers under control and resulted in the contested proposal of the L-15 levee. Overall, the author asserts that the building of floodwalls and levees increased the damage caused by
Charles County. Although floods consistently occurred in St. Charles County, the area continued to grow through the 20th century; the construction of the Alton Lock/Dam and Interstate 70 helped to increase development in the 1940s and 1950s. It is worth noting that most of the new development was located in the floodplain. By the 1960s there were two main groups in the area: the poor, who lived close to the Mississippi River or in mobile homes and the farmers, who had a higher economic status. In this chapter, Steinberg also elaborates on the establishment of the North County Levee District in 1977. This was an attempt to keep the waters of the rivers under control and resulted in the contested proposal of the L-15 levee. Overall, the author asserts that the building of floodwalls and levees increased the damage caused by