New Orleans Disaster was waiting to happen- article from 2000

[jmanscharger]

Local Leadership would not fix the problem they wanted the federal gov't to pay for it - in the end we pay much more. December 2000 article.

The Lost City of New Orleans?      http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BJK/is_15_11/ai_68642805
Risk & Insurance,   Dec, 2000   by Lori Widmer
Louisiana's marshlands, the only buffer for hurricanes that come out of the Gulf, are slipping into the ocean at an alarming rate. New search indicates that just one major hurricane could put New Orleans under water.

The Big Easy is in big trouble. New Orleans is sinking. And fast. But what's the big deal? Local businesses and residents have heard it all before. They've built levees to control the raging Mississippi. They've developed pumping systems to deal with rain and flooding. They've dug canals to move the water out of the city. And still they survive, wearing the battle scars earned from each hurricane and each flood as badges of honor.

New research by the U.S. Geological Survey, however, indicates that New Orleans is sinking faster than many realize and could be under water within 50 years. The city is facing a series of issues--disappearing wetlands that protect from hurricanes, levees that are too low to hold back flood waters, rising water tables, to name a few--that if not addressed soon could have New Orleans suffering the same fate as Atlantis.

Dramatic, yes. But not unlikely, according to Shea Penland, geologist and professor at the University of New Orleans. "When we get the big hurricane and there are 10,000 people dead, the city government's been relocated to the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, refugee camps have been set up and there $10 billion plus in losses, what then?" he asks.

Shoring up homes has become a thriving business in the city, according to Schwaner. As homes list and sink, companies jack up the homes or provide fill to even the ground. All of the efforts seem like a bandage approach, thinks Penland. "It would cost a billion or two dollars to make the levee 30 feet high. A major flood with loss of life could cost $10 billion. What's wrong with this picture? If we know the worst-case scenario is billions and it would take a billion or two to prevent it, why don't we do it? I don't think anyone's thinking about it."

read the whole article it gets better
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BJK/is_15_11/ai_68642805

[Troy]

There was a really good special on Discovery or TLC the other night. I actually watched the whole thing too. I didn't realize that they were losing something like 100 feet or shoreline per day. They showed aerial photos of from only a few decades ago along with recent ones and it was staggering how much things had changed. The marshlands are/were weakening and basically sinking (they are supposed to be dry or nearly dry for parts of the year). I also didn't know that they pumped the water out into a lake that sits above the city. Very interesting but still a tragedy even if there wasn't a hurricane.

Troy

[RD]

Dramatic, yes. But not unlikely, according to Shea Penland, geologist and professor at the University of New Orleans. "When we get the big hurricane and there are 10,000 people dead, the city government's been relocated to the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, refugee camps have been set up and there $10 billion plus in losses, what then?" he asks.

how prophetic is that? except for the 10,000 people dead part. What is the death toll now?

[jmanscharger]

As the bad as Katrina was, New Orleans mostly got the water from it, not a direct hit like the gulf coast- remember last Tuesday's AP Headline "Katrina no Apocalyse"?
Nothing like watching footage of hundreds of New Orleans school buses still underwater, obviously no local evacuation plan.   The scope of this thing in and beyond New Orleans is still not comprehended 90,000 square miles, hundreds of thousands of people affected, shabby local plans, and a federal response based on local requests. Feds don't just go in and take over, probably should have. The hurricane didn't kill 10,000 but the aftermath together with hurricane may be that high or higher...

[41husk]

before this is over there will be a lot more finger pointing.

[Johnny SixPack]

And they've known for decades that the Mississippi is a moving river.

Eventually it will move away from NO, and all shipping infrastructure and related business will leave anyhow.

NO could end up a glorified (albiet still living) ghost town.

Especially now that so much of the older/historic parts (main tourist draw besides gambling) of it were damaged and will be replaced/rebuilt.

If they decide to rebuild NO in the same place, there has got to be a major revision of the city.

Not just simply adding to the flood control/protection, but a complete rethinking of NO and it's place in the grand sceme of things (i.e. shipping/receiving port).

Otherwise, you're simply putting a bullet back into the chamber and passing the gun.


Johnny

[MoparUSAF]

When you think of all the money this country has.....if only the warnings were heeded......all this chaos would have been avoided