Die Natur der Gefahr traces the history of the Ohio river, its significance for trade and industry, and its flooding disasters between the late eighteenth century through to the twentieth century.
The pollution of the Cuyahoga River was so severe that over the years the toxic waste caught fire numerous times. One specific fire in 1969 was reported upon by the Time Magazine and played a strong part in the movement towards cleansing the waterways nationwide.
In 1988 scientists accept evidence that industrialization in the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys are to blame for increases in acid rainfall in Mount Mitchell, North Carolina, creating an environment where trees, bushes, and wildlife cannot survive.
