"Down de Baya"

What I found most striking about the novel Bayou Farewell thus far is the incredible loss Cajuns have experienced, and will continue to experience, as marshland decresases rapidly. I would feel perhaps less sorry if this were occuring due to a natural phenomenon like the effects of a hurricane etc. The fact that the main contributors to this problem are the levees trapping the waters of the Mississippi and the oil companies is sickening. I recognize the reason for building the levees (to control flooding and save lives) but this raises the question in my mind: to what extent is it acceptable for humans to interfere with nature in their own interests, especially when it conflicts with the interests of another culture or group of people in society? I realize that the flooding of the Mississippi costs people their lives and I'm sure I might feel differently if it were my family's house at stake or my family members dieing in the flood, but it just seems unnatural and crazy to change the climate of the delta so that people can live along the Mississippi without fear of flooding. That's what the Missiippi does, it floods, and the Bayou climate and continuation of that culture is dependant on the rich sediment from the flooding. Did anyone consider the long term effects this would have on the Bayou? Or did someone decide that its worth it to cause the death of a culture dependant on the flooding of the Mississippi in order to enable people to live along the river in safety? For some reason I had more faith in the foresight of the government and I can't imagine they didn't anticipate these consequences, but I guess in retrospect that sounds naieve too.