Distributive Relationships of the A griculiural Pattern 128 
were organized primarily to provide protection for urban and suburban 
communities. Incidentally, thousands of acres of farm land also were 
benefited. 
In the organization of the East Side Levee and Sanitary District 
(1907), the activating purpose of which was to provide protection for 
East St. Louis, it was deemed desirable to include over ninety-six square 
miles of flood plain.1 Over two-thirds of the area thus included was clas- 
sified as farm land. The western boundary of the district extending south- 
ward from Granite City was located along or near the bank of the 
Mississippi River in order to provide protection for developed urban 
centers and in anticipation of further suburban development south- 
ward from East St. Louis. Northward from Granite City, the boundary 
fronting the river was located a considerable distance from the river in 
order to provide for the expansion of river water during periods of 
severe floods. It was planned to construct a river levee just inside this 
western boundary. The section of the levee from Prairie du Pont 
Creek northward to Mitchell was constructed as planned. The levee 
was extended northward from Mitchell with a location outside the 
district, however, so as to effect a “tie in” with the south levee of the 
Cahokia Diversion Channel (Fig. 26). Hundreds of acres of farm land, 
located immediately to the south of the Cahokia Diversion Channel, 
were thus incidentally given protection against river floods, although 
outside the district. 
To the north of the portion of East St. Louis which extends to the 
bluffs, a narrow belt of farms located on a relatively well-drained series 
of alluvial fans at the foot of the bluffs was not included in the district; 
however, to the south of this lobe of East St. Louis, the boundary line 
Was extended along the foot of the bluffs where the axial line of 
drainage for this part of the flood plain is located. 
Mr. E. F, Harper, Chief Engineer for the East Side Levee and Sani- 
tary District, has listed the original objectives as follows: 
i istri ides for 
The general plan for the improvement of the District provi ; 
the construction of the following works: (1) A rahi amg vg ie — 
. 
oS Se a en Re ee aad BLE ee ne arene 
'Thid, 
