We all know what is said about best-laid plans. For those of us who live, work or play near the Missouri River, those words have special meaning.Last summer, when St. Louis and Warren County conservationist Dan Burkhardt asked us both to write for his new book “Missouri River Country,” the state was entering what would become a record-breaking drought.By this spring the river was at flood stage, complicating life for many who live or farm along the river and for the photographers attempting to capture a normal Missouri River for the book.Extreme drought to extreme flood within a few months! Whether we’re reacting to rising floodwater or dealing with drought, an undeniable aspect of living on the banks of the “Big Muddy” is the need to be adaptable.For decades, we have attempted to tame and control the Missouri River. Since Lewis and Clark, we have been drawn to its banks. Towns, settlements and farms have come and gone, first drawn by the rich lands along the river, but then often subsequently devastated by its rising waters. One early 20th century writer described it as “the hungriest river ever created, eating all the time.”Farming in the Missouri River Valley has helped feed a growing nation, and today the rich lands along its banks continue to provide an abundance of grain, beef and other agricultural products. Truly the Missouri River has helped fuel the growth and vibrancy of cities all along its banks, but none more than the city of St. Louis, founded just below the confluence of the Missouri with the mighty Mississippi — a city that became the Gateway to the West for a half century following the epic journey of Lewis and Clark.St. Louis was set by its founders on high land, but future development has often ignored the reasons for their choice, and many have suffered from the inevitable flooding of areas into which they subsequently expanded. Not only is the Missouri River the primary source of the state’s drinking water, its broad valley has created one of the most significant waterfowl flyways in the world. The restored wetlands near the confluence pair with the vast corn and soybean fields and provide a place for the rain-swollen river to expand during wet years.Over the years, we have benefited greatly from the foresight of visionaries who have been protecting land around the Missouri River, establishing state parks, conservation areas and other publicly accessible areas that have helped preserve the rural character of the area between St. Louis and Hermann. It’s fitting that this year, 20 years after one of the most damaging floods on the Missouri River, local conservation leaders — through an effort called Magnificent Missouri — have chosen to pay tribute to the Missouri River’s history, cultural heritage, ecology and contributions to our economy through “Missouri River Country.”“Missouri River Country’s” 60-plus contributors, including Gov. Jay Nixon and Sens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt, have given us their thoughts about many aspects of the river and the valley it carved — its history, commercial value, communities, ecology, agriculture and architecture — but most importantly, the need to conserve rural character of the river and the lands through which it flows for future generations to enjoy. The new book brings home these lessons in an impressive way and with a fabulous array of beautiful images of this great land, telling us well the many advantages of conservation combined with compatible uses for the benefit of all.We believe that “Missouri River Country” will promote appreciation of our remarkable river assets and prompt a discussion of how to preserve and protect the watershed that nourishes them. In this way, it makes an irreplaceable contribution to the future of the rich and historical area in which we live.Todd Sampsell is The Nature Conservancy’s Missouri state director. Peter H. Raven is president emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Garden.