National-local land-use conflicts in floodways of the Mississippi River system

摘要: Conflicts between national and local governments over land use in floodplains have been well documented the US elsewhere. The National Flood Insurance Program offers subsidized flood insurance to communities that agree prevent further development floodplains, but requirements are poorly enforced commonly reluctant restrain on flood-prone lands. In this paper we highlight problem particularly sensitive areas: floodways (or bypasses) essential components of Mississippi River control system. To properly operate system, Army Corps Engineers must be able divert flow from mainstem into bypasses, thereby lowering stage main river, thus minimizing flooding cities other vulnerable areas. However, operation Birds-Point-New Madrid Floodway Missouri was compromised 2011 by opposition (and a legal challenge ultimately rejected Supreme Court), it finally used accommodate floodwaters. West Atchafalaya Louisiana experienced threefold increase number structures within floodway about 1970 2010. Because pattern flooding, not needed 2011, if is future, its may extensive encroachments floodway. Thus, critical infrastructure, designed deal with floods an interstate, river-basin scale, land-use decisions made at level.