‘Atchafalaya’ by John McPhee, published 1987 in The New Yorker

I just read this this summer! I love John McPhee

This piece is also included in his book, The Control of Nature which includes other topics as well. Cooling the Lava” — The 1973 volcanic eruption on Heimaey, one of Iceland’s Westman Islands . “Los Angeles Against the Mountains” — The battle against debris flows pouring off the San Gabriel Mountains into the suburbs of Los Angeles,