I'll add my two cents on the American Bottoms. It's allegedly the largest floodplain in the U.S., but I've never seen proof. It runs from the bluffs in Alton past the bluffs in Collinsville and on down thru the bluffs in Dupo, etc. All of Granite City, East St. Louis, Cahokia, Madison (the city), Venice, Caseyville, Alorton, Hartford, Roxana, etc, etc, etc, are in the floodplain of the Mississippi River. If it weren't for the protection of several levee districts, large portions of the area would routinely flood. In the '93 flood, approximately 8 miles of I-64 would have been underwater in St. Clair County. When Fountain Creek (I think) breached a flank levee, the wave rushed past Valmeyer. Intentional backflooding "probably" saved Prairie Du Rocher from the wave by intercepting and attenuating it. For whatever reason, Rocher was spared. Valmeyer was not. I apologize now to those who feel this isn't list-related. Larry Wernle in St. Louis > -----Original Message----- > From: Cherlynn B Thomas [SMTP:[email protected]] > Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 1:41 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [ILMONROE-L] American Bottom > > Excuse my ignorance . . . > > What is the American Bottom or "the Bottom." I have seen it mentioned a > few places in Monroe county, IL articles/histories. > > Cherlynn Thomas > [email protected] > > ______________________________