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America's Third Coast Series
Beyond Control: The Mississippi River's New Channel to the Gulf of Mexico
Beyond Control reveals the Mississippi as a waterway of change, unnaturally confined by ever-larger levees and control structures. During the great flood of 1973, the current scoured a hole beneath the main structure near Baton Rouge and enlarged a pre-existing football-field-size crater. That night the Mississippi River nearly changed its course for a shorter and steeper path to the sea. Such a map-changing reconfiguration of the country's largest river would bear national significance as well as disastrous consequences for New Orleans and towns like Morgan City, at the mouth of the Atchafalaya River. Since 1973, the US Army Corps of Engineers Control Complex at Old River has kept the Mississippi from jumping out of its historic channel and plunging through the Atchafalaya Basin to the Gulf of Mexico.
Beyond Control traces the history of this phenomenon, beginning with a major channel shift around 3,000 years ago. By the time European colonists began to explore the Lower Mississippi Valley, a unique confluence of waterways had formed where the Red River joined the Mississippi, and the Atchafalaya River flowed out into the Atchafalaya Basin. A series of human alterations to this potentially volatile web of rivers, starting with a bend cutoff in 1831 by Captain Henry Miller Shreve, set the forces in motion for the Mississippi's move into the Atchafalaya Basin.
Told against the backdrop of the Lower Mississippi River's impending diversion, the book's chapters chronicle historic floods, rising flood crests, a changing strategy for flood protection, and competing interests in the management of the Old River outlet. Beyond Control is both a history and a close look at an inexorable, living process happening now in the twenty-first century.
Beyond Control traces the history of this phenomenon, beginning with a major channel shift around 3,000 years ago. By the time European colonists began to explore the Lower Mississippi Valley, a unique confluence of waterways had formed where the Red River joined the Mississippi, and the Atchafalaya River flowed out into the Atchafalaya Basin. A series of human alterations to this potentially volatile web of rivers, starting with a bend cutoff in 1831 by Captain Henry Miller Shreve, set the forces in motion for the Mississippi's move into the Atchafalaya Basin.
Told against the backdrop of the Lower Mississippi River's impending diversion, the book's chapters chronicle historic floods, rising flood crests, a changing strategy for flood protection, and competing interests in the management of the Old River outlet. Beyond Control is both a history and a close look at an inexorable, living process happening now in the twenty-first century.
- GenresNatureHistoryNonfiction
292 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 10, 2018
Geologists, hydrologists, engineers, geographers, cartographers and historians will be fascinated by this study of the history and oft-changing courses of the mighty Mississippi River. Four thousand years ago the river took a new course, and ever since it has been looping, meandering and avulsing with great affect upon the settlers enjoying the benefits of travel and rich sediment. If nothing else this account will show you that trade is the greatest unstoppable force on Earth.
Maps and charts are plentiful, helping me understand how the river joined the Red River, abandoned it and rejoined; the composition of soil and sediment made a difference as to where the river could easily break the banks and levees. Portage was made across the neck between meanders to shorten the paddle, in one case, Portage of the Cross, shortening a distance of thirty-seven miles counting three bends and two rivers to six miles across swampy neck. Then engineers decided to break the land barriers in a few meanders, straightening and speeding the course for larger boats. This compelled the building of flood protection banks and walls, so the continued changes of history could no longer be allowed.
The delta has changed too, with distributary rivers like the Atchafalaya taking some of the water and the rest rushing into the sea and dumping its sediment, bringing lobes of land ever further. We're told that in recent years the Mississippi above New Orleans has threatened to rush through damaged levees to flow around the city instead of through it, which would see the city silt up and sit in a salty swamp.
We also learn about the succession and sharing of waves of settlers, from Native tribes to explorers and immigrants. I enjoyed seeing dugout canoes called the pickup trucks of their day. Both floating and sunk dead trees, called snags, and large tangles of them called rafts, had to be removed before bigger ships could ply the river trade. A fantastic steam-powered paddlewheel snag boat, Heliopolis, designed by Henry Shreve, was floating battering ram, saw mill and tug. Shreve also deforested the river banks. Some meander necks were breached using slave or convict labour; in 1831 Shreve used blasting powder. I was fascinated by the jumble and tumble of cause and effects from this work. Much of what the people learned about hydrology they seem to have learned by taking an action and watching what the three dynamic rivers, plus staid-seeming Old River or former channel, and oxbow lakes, did next.
The 1927 flood, when much of the Mississippi waters burst levees and joined the Atchafalaya, devastating the downriver towns, ended any thought that levees alone could suffice as flood control. I had not previously seen the tale of Mrs E.F. Oubre and her son who saved New Texas from disaster by maintaining a cracking levee with sheets, blankets and sacks of earth for sixteen hours in the rain. Another personage of note was Hans Albert Einstein, son of the physicist, who studied hydrology in Switzerland and came to lend his expertise to the river engineers in 1951.
Finally, we examine the 1972 flood risk in detail and look at the existing situation; what is located where, from towns to refineries, and how long it might be before the Atchafalaya takes on the main watercourse. Now we're talking about structures with seven forty-foot high towers; with auxiliaries, spillways and reinforcements; not to mention the world's largest prefabricated power plant. And all in an area with three uplift zones and seismic activity. No wonder the author refers to this river and sediments as a hydrological arms race. Hurricane Katrina and climate change arrived to demonstrate the ultimately the river is probably, as the title suggests, beyond control, with just a sidewise glance at these new threats.
Notes P205 - 247. Bibliography P248 - 279. I counted 42 names that I could be sure were female, including Katrina.
While my e-ARC had no photos I appreciated the many simple charts and drawings, which helped me to appreciate the scale and evolution of the rivers and their couses. I would have liked some aerial and local photos too.
I downloaded a copy from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review. I recommend this well-researched book as excellent reading for students of these fields, provided they are familiar with the terms such as confluence, scouring, avulsion, carrying capacity, as I did not see a glossary.
Maps and charts are plentiful, helping me understand how the river joined the Red River, abandoned it and rejoined; the composition of soil and sediment made a difference as to where the river could easily break the banks and levees. Portage was made across the neck between meanders to shorten the paddle, in one case, Portage of the Cross, shortening a distance of thirty-seven miles counting three bends and two rivers to six miles across swampy neck. Then engineers decided to break the land barriers in a few meanders, straightening and speeding the course for larger boats. This compelled the building of flood protection banks and walls, so the continued changes of history could no longer be allowed.
The delta has changed too, with distributary rivers like the Atchafalaya taking some of the water and the rest rushing into the sea and dumping its sediment, bringing lobes of land ever further. We're told that in recent years the Mississippi above New Orleans has threatened to rush through damaged levees to flow around the city instead of through it, which would see the city silt up and sit in a salty swamp.
We also learn about the succession and sharing of waves of settlers, from Native tribes to explorers and immigrants. I enjoyed seeing dugout canoes called the pickup trucks of their day. Both floating and sunk dead trees, called snags, and large tangles of them called rafts, had to be removed before bigger ships could ply the river trade. A fantastic steam-powered paddlewheel snag boat, Heliopolis, designed by Henry Shreve, was floating battering ram, saw mill and tug. Shreve also deforested the river banks. Some meander necks were breached using slave or convict labour; in 1831 Shreve used blasting powder. I was fascinated by the jumble and tumble of cause and effects from this work. Much of what the people learned about hydrology they seem to have learned by taking an action and watching what the three dynamic rivers, plus staid-seeming Old River or former channel, and oxbow lakes, did next.
The 1927 flood, when much of the Mississippi waters burst levees and joined the Atchafalaya, devastating the downriver towns, ended any thought that levees alone could suffice as flood control. I had not previously seen the tale of Mrs E.F. Oubre and her son who saved New Texas from disaster by maintaining a cracking levee with sheets, blankets and sacks of earth for sixteen hours in the rain. Another personage of note was Hans Albert Einstein, son of the physicist, who studied hydrology in Switzerland and came to lend his expertise to the river engineers in 1951.
Finally, we examine the 1972 flood risk in detail and look at the existing situation; what is located where, from towns to refineries, and how long it might be before the Atchafalaya takes on the main watercourse. Now we're talking about structures with seven forty-foot high towers; with auxiliaries, spillways and reinforcements; not to mention the world's largest prefabricated power plant. And all in an area with three uplift zones and seismic activity. No wonder the author refers to this river and sediments as a hydrological arms race. Hurricane Katrina and climate change arrived to demonstrate the ultimately the river is probably, as the title suggests, beyond control, with just a sidewise glance at these new threats.
Notes P205 - 247. Bibliography P248 - 279. I counted 42 names that I could be sure were female, including Katrina.
While my e-ARC had no photos I appreciated the many simple charts and drawings, which helped me to appreciate the scale and evolution of the rivers and their couses. I would have liked some aerial and local photos too.
I downloaded a copy from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review. I recommend this well-researched book as excellent reading for students of these fields, provided they are familiar with the terms such as confluence, scouring, avulsion, carrying capacity, as I did not see a glossary.
April 16, 2017
I suppose most people don't really think about the Mississippi River. They may have been told it's one of the longest river systems in the world (4th in distance, much further down the list of average discharge), maybe that the river system drains almost 2/3rds of lower 48 states, that is, a very large territory, but other than factoids they don't really think of the River.
I've been living on the bank of the Mississippi River for nearly 17 years. My work week bicycle commute runs along the top of the levee for a few miles. The River is part of my life, at least observationally.
Whenever the River runs high talk turns to Floods of the Past. The events of 1927 and 1973 always come up. When that happens the conversation can turn to a more focused discussion of the River, it's behavior, history, and power. It doesn't take long to jump to the subject of the Old River Control Structure.
I'd heard of Old River, knew in an offhand kind of way what it does and why it is there, but I didn't have any real depth of knowledge. I read "Riding Tide" by John M. Barry some years ago (Barry does a terrific job providing a history of the Flood of 1927). I had also read "The Control of Nature" by John McPhee with its chapter dedicated to Old River (also an excellent if short look at the structure and the Flood of 1973). Neither provided the depth of knowledge "Beyond Control" provides.
While in no way polemical, "Beyond Control" does face the obvious (much as McPhee did) - human attempts to control a massive River and turn it into a tame linear lake-like object are doomed to fail.
Barnett manages to describe the history of human intervention on the River in an engaging manner. Hydrology is not a subject that lends itself to engaging description yet the author manages to make it so. Don't get me wrong; this is NOT a textbook. Nonetheless, the important, necessary science is present, understandable, and,yes, engaging.
One other reason I find this work important - I live BELOW Old River. If and when the River changes course (again) and turns into the Atchafalaya the impact for the lower Mississippi River from Old River to New Orleans and beyond will be catastrophic. That impact will spread far beyond Louisiana if for no other reason than the likely failure of a number of important, perhaps vital, petroleum pipelines running through the Atchafalaya Basin. Those pipelines feed numerous power plants, petrochemical plants, and supplies a percentage of gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel to the northeast (Colonial Pipeline . . . "is the largest U.S. refined products pipeline system and can carry more than 3 million barrels of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel between the U.S. Gulf Coast and the New York Harbor area.")
I highly recommend this work to anyone who has an interest in the Mississippi River, rivers in general, and how humans interact with rivers. There is, of course, a taint of human hubris in that last.
I've been living on the bank of the Mississippi River for nearly 17 years. My work week bicycle commute runs along the top of the levee for a few miles. The River is part of my life, at least observationally.
Whenever the River runs high talk turns to Floods of the Past. The events of 1927 and 1973 always come up. When that happens the conversation can turn to a more focused discussion of the River, it's behavior, history, and power. It doesn't take long to jump to the subject of the Old River Control Structure.
I'd heard of Old River, knew in an offhand kind of way what it does and why it is there, but I didn't have any real depth of knowledge. I read "Riding Tide" by John M. Barry some years ago (Barry does a terrific job providing a history of the Flood of 1927). I had also read "The Control of Nature" by John McPhee with its chapter dedicated to Old River (also an excellent if short look at the structure and the Flood of 1973). Neither provided the depth of knowledge "Beyond Control" provides.
While in no way polemical, "Beyond Control" does face the obvious (much as McPhee did) - human attempts to control a massive River and turn it into a tame linear lake-like object are doomed to fail.
Barnett manages to describe the history of human intervention on the River in an engaging manner. Hydrology is not a subject that lends itself to engaging description yet the author manages to make it so. Don't get me wrong; this is NOT a textbook. Nonetheless, the important, necessary science is present, understandable, and,yes, engaging.
One other reason I find this work important - I live BELOW Old River. If and when the River changes course (again) and turns into the Atchafalaya the impact for the lower Mississippi River from Old River to New Orleans and beyond will be catastrophic. That impact will spread far beyond Louisiana if for no other reason than the likely failure of a number of important, perhaps vital, petroleum pipelines running through the Atchafalaya Basin. Those pipelines feed numerous power plants, petrochemical plants, and supplies a percentage of gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel to the northeast (Colonial Pipeline . . . "is the largest U.S. refined products pipeline system and can carry more than 3 million barrels of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel between the U.S. Gulf Coast and the New York Harbor area.")
I highly recommend this work to anyone who has an interest in the Mississippi River, rivers in general, and how humans interact with rivers. There is, of course, a taint of human hubris in that last.
July 10, 2023
Despite the title, this book mostly avoids the "man always loses in man versus nature" cliche that really ends up sounding like reports from the Vietnam War where we won every battle. Yes, many human follies are overconfidence in the face of nature, but the totality shows that humans are pretty good engineers. It's a matter of perspective. Is New Orleans doomed? Maybe, but another way of looking at it is that humans managed to make a go of it there for centuries. The author concedes as much in his conclusion.
I first heard about the issue with the Red/Mississippi/Atchafalaya in a John McPhee book. It wasn't mentioned much during some of the more impactful weather events this century in the area, either.
I certainly don't think it's beyond our capability to keep the Mississippi in its current channel if money is no object. New Orleans's doom might come not from the river but from the sea, as it mostly did during Hurricane Katrina. If that does come to pass, maybe it makes less sense to continue to force it. I'm not making a judgment on that and I'm certainly not saying "just wipe out a [majority black] city because nature lmao." That's above my proverbial pay grade. But what isn't is to say that I think it's well within our capabilities. Unlike so many things that are needed to save us, fusion, better batteries, carbon capture, whatever, huge earthworks are old technology.
I say this mainly because I cannot imagine any President will want to be the first to abandon a major and historic US city, though, that time may come whether we like it or not. What's the amount that makes it not practicable? $10T? I don't know the answer to that, but I suspect that within my kids' lifetimes, this kind of thing will have to be confronted somewhere.
This book too avoids overgeneralizing with shoulds and shouldn'ts and documents the history of river engineering that led to the problem, and some silly attempts to solve it by committee that didn't work. All of which is very, very interesting and probably unknown to the general reader.
Since I first learned about this, I have wondered how vulnerable it is to terrorism. If a failure of one of these structures truly is enough to cause such ruin, why is a public highway going right over them? is it controlled airspace? I'd like to know more about that.
Good history, balanced takes, overall very informative and well written.
I first heard about the issue with the Red/Mississippi/Atchafalaya in a John McPhee book. It wasn't mentioned much during some of the more impactful weather events this century in the area, either.
I certainly don't think it's beyond our capability to keep the Mississippi in its current channel if money is no object. New Orleans's doom might come not from the river but from the sea, as it mostly did during Hurricane Katrina. If that does come to pass, maybe it makes less sense to continue to force it. I'm not making a judgment on that and I'm certainly not saying "just wipe out a [majority black] city because nature lmao." That's above my proverbial pay grade. But what isn't is to say that I think it's well within our capabilities. Unlike so many things that are needed to save us, fusion, better batteries, carbon capture, whatever, huge earthworks are old technology.
I say this mainly because I cannot imagine any President will want to be the first to abandon a major and historic US city, though, that time may come whether we like it or not. What's the amount that makes it not practicable? $10T? I don't know the answer to that, but I suspect that within my kids' lifetimes, this kind of thing will have to be confronted somewhere.
This book too avoids overgeneralizing with shoulds and shouldn'ts and documents the history of river engineering that led to the problem, and some silly attempts to solve it by committee that didn't work. All of which is very, very interesting and probably unknown to the general reader.
Since I first learned about this, I have wondered how vulnerable it is to terrorism. If a failure of one of these structures truly is enough to cause such ruin, why is a public highway going right over them? is it controlled airspace? I'd like to know more about that.
Good history, balanced takes, overall very informative and well written.
June 23, 2025
One of my top nonfiction books of all time. This book was incredible, extremely well researched, thourough, and nonbias. The arguments are well presented with fantastic diagrams and about 100 pages of notes plus an index in the back. Absolutley would recommend for anyone interested in hydrology or American history from an academic perspective. Alot of very fascinating insights into government action (or lack thereof) are peppered in as well.
I for one am fascinated with how the world will change when the Missisippi eventually diverts its course!
I for one am fascinated with how the world will change when the Missisippi eventually diverts its course!
April 2, 2023
I have known about the Atchafalaya River's threat to capture the waters of the mighty Mississippi for 50 years due to geology classes. Nothing has changed except the expenditure of millions (probably billions) of dollars to keep that from happening. This book overviews and brings us up to date on the engineering that has been done. All would have been well if the Mississippi had not been remastered to make it more available to river traffic. The Mississippi, full of sediment brought down from nearly a third of the United States, has twisted and turned to create longer trips for boaters. The early people wanting to master the river, dug shortcuts across these meanders. The river was not amused. The Atchafalaya is a short deeper and faster river than the Mississippi that has been cutting back towards the Mississippi. If left alone it would have captured the Mississippi waters years ago leaving the river and New Orleans south of the capture, high and dry. Worse, the lack of water south to New Orleans and below would have allowed a salt water wedge from the Gulf of Mexico to infiltrate the fresh water from the Mississippi. Humans felt this could not be allowed but even with the huge flood and directional control, the Atchafalaya may still one day redirect the Mississippi waters out to the Gulf of Mexico close to Morgan City, LA and Morgan City will become the new New Orleans. Just one big flood will do the job.
August 25, 2018
During a future flood event, when the inevitable shift of the Lower Mississippi River to the Atchafalaya occurs, a daunting profusion of globally significant disasters of unimaginable cost follows. Vigilance, research, collaboration, and positive actions are critical if we are to make the best of both current and future scenarios for this complex confluence--making this a most vital and timely book.
Thorough research and engaging writing by James F. Barnett Jr, a gifted Mississippi historian, Beyond Control: The Mississippi River's New Channel to the Gulf of Mexico's pace mirrors the floodwaters it describes. I finished it first among four other compelling books I'm swimming through. All partners in the creation of this valuable and important book deserve credit. They also warrant appreciation and accolades for their exemplary roles as responsible, collaborative, and caring public servants. They certainly have mine.
Thorough research and engaging writing by James F. Barnett Jr, a gifted Mississippi historian, Beyond Control: The Mississippi River's New Channel to the Gulf of Mexico's pace mirrors the floodwaters it describes. I finished it first among four other compelling books I'm swimming through. All partners in the creation of this valuable and important book deserve credit. They also warrant appreciation and accolades for their exemplary roles as responsible, collaborative, and caring public servants. They certainly have mine.
July 29, 2019
Accessible read for those interested in better understanding the importance and history of the lower Mississippi River, and the many challenges facing its past, present, and future flood control. Management of the Mississippi River will only continue to grow more complex and challenging with time. Every management strategy thus far has stirred unforeseen, unintended consequences. It is only a matter of time before the actual 100 year flood commences (the 1927 and 1973 floods were only 25 year floods, y'all!), which will drastically alter the geography of the Mississippi River Delta. This impending flood will allow Morgan City to become the "new" New Orleans as the Atchafalaya captures the majority of the Mississippi River's flow. When will New Orleans be forced to make the long-awaited transition from concrete jungle to brackish swamp?
July 2, 2022
Great Overview of one of the greatest Hydraulic Engineering Problems of Modern Time
A great overview of the history and engineering behind the ongoing efforts to maintain the 30/70 split of waters flowing into the lower Mississippi and the Atchafalaya River Basins. Barnett provides a balanced discussion on the Corps of Engineers' iterative efforts to control the confluence at Old River while also providing bold suggestions for future steps to better team with the Mississippi River as opposed to continuing to try to tame it fully. John McGee's section on the Old River Control Structure in his book "In Control of Nature" pairs nicely with the Barnett's recount of the impacts of the 1973 flood on the original structure's wing walls and foundations.
A great overview of the history and engineering behind the ongoing efforts to maintain the 30/70 split of waters flowing into the lower Mississippi and the Atchafalaya River Basins. Barnett provides a balanced discussion on the Corps of Engineers' iterative efforts to control the confluence at Old River while also providing bold suggestions for future steps to better team with the Mississippi River as opposed to continuing to try to tame it fully. John McGee's section on the Old River Control Structure in his book "In Control of Nature" pairs nicely with the Barnett's recount of the impacts of the 1973 flood on the original structure's wing walls and foundations.
September 26, 2019
Well written, technical history of the Mississippi River in the Old River area where the Corps of Engineers build their control structures to prevent the bulk of the Mississippi water from changing course down the Atchafalaya River.
It’s technical but understood by this non-engineer. My one wish would be that the Black & White Line drawings (usually taken from old maps) would have been replace with better color drawings for ease of understanding what the picture was trying to convey.
It’s technical but understood by this non-engineer. My one wish would be that the Black & White Line drawings (usually taken from old maps) would have been replace with better color drawings for ease of understanding what the picture was trying to convey.
May 15, 2018
Informative, but hard to follow for those unfamiliar with water engineering and the related geography.
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