This system would comprise of several diversion facilities to store the flood waters. Each facility would include an open pit (4 to 5 miles square and 100 feet deep), an electrical generator (driven by the entering flood waters) and a system for emptying the pit. These facilities would be placed at strategic locations along the Mississippi river upstream of known flood prone areas. This would make a great government stimulus program with the following benefits:

1. Provide work for thousands (possibly 10s of thousands) of people (think of all those soldiers returning home that need jobs) over many many years.
2. While it would be short term, the system would provide electrical energy into the grid during the flood season.
3. The contained flood water could be used to supply water to farms and local towns as they need it.
4. Save 100s of millions of dollars in losses due to flooding.

A project worthy of American Engineering.