184 



THE WORK OF RUNNING WATER 



it. In some places the embankment 

 is fifteen or twenty feet above the 

 rest of the flood plain. These natural 

 levees, as they are called, often force 

 the tributary streams to flow for long 

 distances upon the flood plain before 

 they can enter the main river. The 

 Yazoo River is forced to flow along 

 the flood plain some 200 miles before 

 it can enter the Mississippi. 



These natural levees form the only 



available sites where the lower river towns and cities, such 



as New Orleans, can be built. 



OXBOW LAKES 



A stretch of the Missis- 

 sippi and some of its 

 abandoned meanders. 



LEVEE ALONG LOWER MISSISSIPPI 



Artificial levees are often built to keep rivers from over- 

 flowing their flood plains. Such are the high levees along 

 the Lower Mississippi and*Sacramento Rivers. 



