My thought on this topic is ...

My thought on this topic is to construct a series of Islands and or groynes using waste tires, dirt and vetiver or other suitable plants. The tires would be fashioned into 'chain mail' using either the tires themselves and or rot -resistant connectors/bindings/fasteners. Waste tires are available from all over the world and some places may pay you to take them. Some of the tires can be cut and interlinked with whole tires and then bolted back together. The tires could also be bolted together with fasteners. The chain mail of tires forms the skeleton of the barrier island or groyne. The tire skeleton is filled in with rubble and dirt to build a mound high enough to be above water during floods to provide refuge for people and livestock.  Tires can be rolled into place by hand, They can be cut and drilled with simple tools by hand. They can be assembled into a chain mail structure by hand. They can be filled with dirt or river dredging spoils by hand if no heavy equipment is available. Planted with vetiver or other similar plant, the barrier may be strong enough to resist disintegration during a flood.  A 90 pound person can roll a 30 pound tire a long way on flat ground without fatigue.

One major financial constraint is that this suggestion will not make as much money for engineering companies as an expensive, government supported, and highly engineered solution that required their expertise. You know, like the LA River. I do not know if my suggestion is the right one for this region or at all but I do suspect that engineering companies may use their 'expertise' and position to do what they can to prevent any low cost solutions because low cost solutions are not in their interest. Their financial interest is in nurturing real problems toward solutions they control so they can deposit money in their bank. Those of you interested in effecting an innovative workable solution in a reasonable time frame should be vigilant of this. My view here is not cynical, it is practical and based on verifiable fact. Simply go to www.uspto.gov and go to patent quick search put in your favorite engineering company as the assignee and search and see what you get. Then compare that with other kinds of companies with similar numbers of engineers. Compare CH2M with Lockheed for instance. Clearly, the engineering companies do not 'do' innovation as part of their business. So if existing technology is too costly or unavailable and innovation is needed - such innovation will, by definition, be at least partially outside their expertise and comfort zone. (both technically and financially.)  So be vigilant of this as you consider the opinions of 'experts' who evaluate potential solutions. Where are they coming from and what is their proposal?