Courtesy photo
West Virginia author and journalist Tyler J. Kelley takes a hard look at rivers, flooding and commerce on America's waterways in his new book “Holding Back the River: The Struggle Against Nature on America's Waterways.”
Kelley spoke with Eric Douglas about the book and how the river plays into the ongoing national discussion on infrastructure.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Douglas:
How did you decide to jump into this project?
Kelley: I was on a camping trip with a friend going down the Mississippi River and we came to a lock and dam. I was astonished that the lock and dam would operate for my benefit, like I could pull this little rope and the chamber would open, it would fill and let me out.