Cincinnati, and Kentucky across the river, had some modestly impressive flood control systems. The Mill Creek which normally drained into the Ohio after passing through the valley in which much of Cincy was built, would get dammed up when the river rose above flood stage and its waters pumped over the dikes into the river. When I moved there it was basically an industrial drain though it was slowly cleaned up to some degree over time.
The Ford plant near us had a 10 foot or so dike around it with entryways into which concrete slabs would be dropped when the Mill Creek flooded (which it did fairly often). There was a pool store near us that got flooded out every year or so, which I found ironic. It was right on the Mill Creek.
Cincinnati was badly flooded in 1937, the high water mark was impressive. It was a "natural" place to build a city back when because the flatness of the valley afforded room to build, much of the Ohio is bounded by rather steep hillsides. So settlers used the flatter portions for cities and towns, understandably. Louisville is sited where rapids used to exist.
