Flood Control

Should humans continue to attempt to control rivers, or not?
         - I honestly believe that people shouldn't try to control rivers. We all know that rivers can flood and sometimes go dry and I just don't get why you would live so close to something that is very unpredictable and can completely change your environment and way of life and just spend money trying to defend against all these different senerios. It would be a whole lot easier to just not live along a flood plain. Now if someone is just so determined to live on the flood plain or very close to one and want to spend that extra money because for them it is a really good investment. I could see why they would think it is a good investment; you have good, fertile soil for farming, it's very natural, transportation of goods up and down the river is easy, etc. There are so many reasons, but if you are going to go through with it and try to control the river, I suggest you make sure it is done adequate  so there is not that constant scare of something going wrong.
What do you feel are the strongest arguments supporting your point of view?
             - It is such a huge risk, both econimically and financially. There is always the chance of something going wrong and having it result in loss of life, structures, everything. I mean what if  a levee breaks, what if a dam breaks, what if the river flows over the levee, etc. It is just, in my opinion, too much work for something that can easily result in a casastrophy.