In 1980, McPhee traveled with his daughter on a canoe trip on the Atchafalaya River due to her fascination with the novelist Walker Percy. He had conversations with natives about the efforts made by the Army Corps of Engineers in monitoring riverflow in the area.
In 1980, McPhee traveled with his daughter down the Atchafalaya River to explore the work of the Army Corps of Engineers in managing the river's water levels.