He said that floodplain development was just one aspect shaping flood risk in the region, along with climate change and “over-constriction” of rivers by levees.

“All three of them come into play,” said Stokes. “The idea that you can get out of the next problem by building bigger, stronger levees is crazy, because it will make the problem worse.”

He believes that, slowly, the general population is recognizing those issues. A disconnect remains, though, when it comes to making policy from the local level on up.

“I think the average Missourian knows that more levees and floodplain development has got to stop,” Stokes said. “People want to blame the Army Corps (of Engineers) for this, but how about these city councils up and down the river that propose these floodplain developments?”