have engineers considered creating land in bodies of water the same way the aztecs did?

Question

the aztecs built large wooden rafts on which they placed soil and plants. the plants grew to the bottom of the lake. soil then naturally filled in the root system. thus creating land where there once was water.

the aztecs built large wooden rafts on which they placed soil and plants. the plants grew to the bottom of the lake. soil then naturally filled in the root system. thus creating land where there once was water. i realize "We have dump trucks, earth movers, and other excavation equipment. There are other, better, easier ways to do this now. The new airport in Hong Kong was almost entirely built on land once covered by the ocean." however this takes lots of energy and resources. something that's becoming increasingly scarce. what if FEMA/ the army core of engineers were to use this method 2 help widen & strengthen the levees around 'nola a strip of forest covered land a football field wide as opposed to a backyard or 2 wide.

the aztecs built large wooden rafts on which they placed soil and plants. the plants grew to the bottom of the lake. soil then naturally filled in the root system. thus creating land where there once was water. i realize "We have dump trucks, earth movers, and other excavation equipment. There are other, better, easier ways to do this now. The new airport in Hong Kong was almost entirely built on land once covered by the ocean." however this takes lots of energy and resources. something that's becoming increasingly scarce. what if FEMA/ the army core of engineers were to use this method 2 help widen & strengthen the levees around 'nola a strip of forest covered land a football field wide as opposed to a backyard or 2 wide?

Answer 1

A method similar to described Aztech method is still in use for soil erosion prevention projects i.e tree plantation in slopes.
Large scale soil reclamation from tidal reversides salty lagoons or sea shore/bay by installing Dykes and gates is very common . e.g. Holland .
Also, filling up low lying swamps with pumped sand slurry from riverbeds is another method.
Aztech method , is no doubt more acceptable to Green technology, as it increase new forest areas in erstwhile swamps

Answer 2

We have dump trucks, earth movers, and other excavation equipment. There are other, better, easier ways to do this now. The new airport in Hong Kong was almost entirely built on land once covered by the ocean.

Answer 3

There is extensive land reclamation being done in all parts of the world. The Aztec method is not used today in engineering projects because it takes too long to be practical in today's financial environment.

The Aztec method required decades for the accumulated earth to be solid enough to walk on; today's engineering projects have to show a profit almost immediately, or the people with the money will not pay for them.