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Búsqueda… Science | Book | 333.9115 SC58U 1999 | 1 | Stacks | Búsqueda… Desconocido | Búsqueda… No disponible |
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Resumen
This text takes a long historical view to reconstruct the Missouri Valley environment before Euro-American settlement and then trace the environmental transformations resulting from the development projects of the 19th and 20th centuries.
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In a fascinating and comprehensive chronicle of nearly two centuries of transformations along the Missouri River, Schneiders describes successive periods of change from the early 19th century impressions of explorers and travelers, through settlement by pioneers and the steamboat era in the mid-1800s, into the middle decades of the 1900s where focus was on dam building and channelization structures, and, finally, since 1970 with concerns and studies of environmental degradation along the river. This historiography effectively depicts the environmental consequences of human alterations of natural systems. Channelization to improve river navigation and dams to regulate water flow for agriculture and flood control have precipitated declines in habitats for fish and wildlife species. The concluding chapter outlines important lessons to be learned from attempts to manage the Missouri River and surrounding land areas. Of special interest is the author's excellent coverage of the interactions between Congress; governmental agencies, i.e., the Corps of Engineers; and public self-interest groups during critical decision-making processes. Enjoyable reading; very informative and well-documented, with photographs and extensive references and notes. Strongly recommended for all readership levels, especially conservationists, engineers, hydrologists, and environmental groups. M. J. Zwolinski University of Arizona
Library Journal Review
Schneiders (history, Texas Tech) analyzes various social, political, and economic forces that have influenced the environmental history of the Missouri River. This is a well-written narrative of how the Missouri has changed since the coming of white civilization from a broad, meandering river to a partially regulated stream consisting of dams, reservoirs, and numerous channelized structures. Schneiders's study concentrates on the lower Missouri River valley area and, unlike previous scientific studies or polemical works such as Donald Worster's Rivers of Empire (LJ 2/1/86), this is a chronologically arranged history of how environmental changes relate to events in the river's development. Schneiders is critical of efforts, especially those of the Corps of Engineers during this century, to develop the river without sufficient information on how the changes would affect the environment. The monograph carefully analyzes the conflicting forces of human self-interest at play in the river's development. Numerous photographs and maps, an extensive bibliography, and an excellent introductory historiographical essay enhance the work. Written for a broad readership, it is recommended for both a general and specialized audience.ÄCharles C. Hay, Eastern Kentucky Univ. Archives, Richmond (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.