The Controversial Issues In The Mississippi Delta

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Previously, the most controversial issue about the Mississippi Delta was whether it was shaped like a leaf or like a foot of a bird. However, these simple days are no longer; the famous delta faces a great amount of crucial controversy. In the summer of 2005, Hurricane Katrina and Rita, caused the Mississippi Delta to suffer severely. When the monstrous storm hit, it demolished “nearly 2,000 square miles of deltaic wetlands,” meaning that even the defense against the flood was destructed. When the delta was devoid of protection, this lead to the river no longer being able to replenish the necessary sediments to continue the life of the delta. This unfortunately was not the only tragedy that struck this region within a short span of five years. …show more content…

The oil company was fined heavily though, and the funds are being used to eradicate the damaged imposed on the environment. However money itself will not solve this massive issue that is escalating rapidly; “a football field-sized piece of land sinks into the Gulf every hour.” The reality includes that the lifespan of the delta is dwindling quickly. The government stepped in and hired engineers to find a resolution for this devastating issue. A competition was conducted to find the most efficient solution to save the delta. However, there is a lot of controversy dealing with c altering the delta, which begins as to whether the engineers should even act on it or not. This paper will explore the possible implications if engineers decide to “engineer their way out of the