River Republic

by McCool, Daniel

• ISBN13: 9780231161305
• ISBN10: 0231161301
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-08-07
• Publisher: Columbia Univ Pr

Summary

Daniel McCool not only chronicles the history of water development agencies in America and the way in which special interests have abused rather than preserved the country's rivers. He also narrates the second, brighter act in this ongoing story: the surging, grassroots movement to bring these rivers back to life and ensure they remain pristine for future generations. The culmination of ten years of research and observation, McCool's book confirms the surprising news that America's rivers are indeed returning to a healthier, free-flowing condition. The politics of river restoration have also brought democratic grassroots activism back to its meaningful roots. Through passion and dedication, ordinary people have reclaimed the American landscape, forming a "river republic" of concerned citizens from all backgrounds and sectors of society. As McCool shows, the history, culture, and fate of America is tied to its rivers, and their restoration is a microcosm mirroring American beliefs, livelihoods, and an increasing awareness of what two hundred years of environmental degradation can do. McCool profiles the individuals he calls "instigators" who initiated the fight for these waterways and, despite enormous odds, have succeeded in the near-impossible task of challenging and changing the status quo. Part I recounts the history of America's relationship to its rivers; part II describes how and why Americans "parted" them out, destroying their essence and diminishing their value; and part III proves society can live in harmony with its waterways and restore their well-being -- and, by extension, the well-being of those who depend on them.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
"Green River,"	p. xvii
Map: Selected Sites	p. xviii-xix
The Fall
Crumbling Edifice	p. 3
The Disjuncture	p. 8
Instigators	p. 11
The Glen	p. 14
Water Hubris	p. 22
Planters, Sawyers, and Snags: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers	p. 25
"Building Strong"	p. 27
Not Just Peanuts	p. 29
Rusting Rebar	p. 31
The Big Boo-Boo	p. 35
Under Siege	p. 42
The Invitation	p. 50
The Manless Land: The Bureau of Reclamation	p. 52
Watery Science	p. 54
The Inland Empire and the Fifty Princesses	p. 57
Dinosaur	p. 60
Dominy	p. 65
Sugar City	p. 69
Turning the Corner	p. 72
Blueprint for Reform	p. 73
The Pendulum and the Rogue	p. 76
Water 2025	p. 81
Heritage of Conflict	p. 82
Dismemberment
Handout Horticulture: Farming and the Feds	p. 87
The Agro-industrial Complex	p. 88
Fish Traps	p. 94
Dying 4 Water	p. 97
Crops, Capitalism, and Context	p. 101
Falling Waters: Hydropower and Renewable Energy	p. 105
Smolts and Volts	p. 108
The Scenic and the Sacred	p. 126
Bucket of Ashes	p. 133
Rivers Into Waterways: Barging, Locks, and Dams	p. 138
Tallstacks	p. 141
Cooking the Data	p. 146
Dinner Buckets and Party Barges	p. 153
A National Duty	p. 161
Black Water Rising: The Myth of Flood Control	p. 166
The Storm of Good Friday	p. 167
Galloway	p. 169
House-a-Fire	p. 172
Coon-Ass	p. 182
The House of Death Floats By	p. 186
Downstream Dilemma: Water Pollution	p. 189
Toxics Run Through It	p. 190
Song of the Chattahoochee	p. 195
Too Many Federal Toilets, Not Enough Senators	p. 204
Superfund River	p. 211
Pure River of Water of Life	p. 215
Resurrection
River City: Urban Riverscapes	p. 219
Belle Isle	p. 220
River of the Angels	p. 222
River of Democracy and the Emerald Necklace	p. 227
A Great Multitude of Fish	p. 234
The Pleasantness of the River	p. 237
Net Losses: Habitat and Endangered Species	p. 240
Alphabet Gumbo	p. 242
God Bless America	p. 246
Ten Thousand Years of Fishing	p. 252
A Foot Deep with Fish	p. 256
The Other Side of the River	p. 260
Show Me the Money	p. 261
Playground on the Move: River Recreation	p. 265
Moving-Water Recreation	p. 267
Agents of Change	p. 272
Lunkers and Extreme Instant Shade	p. 276
Water Warriors	p. 280
The River Commons	p. 283
Kitty Clyde's Sister	p. 284
Black-Side Up	p. 288
The Katrina Syndrome	p. 291
Amenity Rivers	p. 295
Instigators Redux	p. 300
Lotic Dreams	p. 302
Notes	p. 305
Index	p. 371
Preface
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