Controversy
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contends that the program is vital to the actual and economic survival of the region.
Opponents of the plans, such as The Missouri Coalition for the Environment say it will not address the flooding problem, but instead, will only destroy fish habitat.
On average, the Mississippi River floods Mississippi County, MO & New Madrid County, MO once every three years; or, a total of 16 times over the past 45. In the spring of 2002, flooding covered over 77,400 acres (313 km2) in the New Madrid Floodway, destroying 48,700 acres (197 km2) of crops.
The flood damage, the United States Department of Agriculture says, could have been greatly limited had the Floodway Project been completed. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, however, the plan is unworkable; or per Senator John McCain's recitation of an earlier Washington Post article, "absolutely ridiculous".
Southeast Missourians affected by the flooding feel differently. One well respected citizen who many times has been forced to evacuate, then sit helplessly as the churning water consumed her home, put it like this: "It is vital for our community. If you don't get to work, you can't pay your mortgage."
U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-MO, who represents the bootheel region in Missouri's Eighth Congressional District, sees it differently: "Flood protection is a necessity.... Last year, nearly 50,000 acres (200 km2) of crops were destroyed. Farmers cannot afford to sustain these preventable annual losses.".
Read more about this topic: New Madrid Floodway Project
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