Question

What are some concerns about controlling the course of the Mississippi River in New Orleans ? What are the trade offs? This video was made before Hurricane Katrina. What are some things presented in the video that foreshadow the Katrina disaster?

Answer 1

There is no reference of any video. However I will try to answer the first question.

Mississippi river frequently has seasonal (periodic) flooding. However, efficient drainage systems and construction of levee system has reduced tha chances of the river flooding and in turn also has led to nurturing of surrounding coastal wetlands that buffer the storms on the route. There have been efforts to divert the Mississippi river down the Atchafalaya river. But this has to be done with complete control or else if the entire flow of Mississippi river comes with a force, many farms, cities and oil refineries would drown. The important port cities of New Orleans would be left with no river.diverting the flow down the Atchafalaya would actually be in the best of interests in terms of ecology as it would build a hurdle against future hurricanes.