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Experts Say Faulty Levees Caused Much of Flooding
Washington Post ^ | Sept. 21, 2005 | Michael Grunwald and Susan B. Glasser

Posted on 09/20/2005 11:38:42 PM PDT by CobaltBlue

Louisiana's top hurricane experts have rejected the official explanations for the floodwall collapses that inundated much of New Orleans, concluding that Hurricane Katrina's storm surges were much smaller than authorities have suggested and that the city's flood- protection system should have kept most of the city dry.

With the help of computer models and visual evidence, scientists at Louisiana State University's Hurricane Center have concluded that Katrina's surges did not come close to overtopping those barriers.

* * * * Ivor van Heerden, the Hurricane Center's deputy director, said the real scandal of Katrina is the "catastrophic structural failure" of barriers that should have handled the hurricane with relative ease.

"We are absolutely convinced that those floodwalls were never overtopped," said van Heerden. * * * * Tuesday, researchers showed numerous indications that Katrina's surge was not as tall as the lakefront's protections. They showed a "debris line" that indicates the top height of Katrina's waves was at least four feet below the crest of Lake Pontchartrain's levees. They also pointed out how the breached floodwalls near the lake showed no signs of overtopping -- no splattering of mud, no drip lines and no erosion at their bases. They contended that the pattern of destruction behind the breaches was consistent with a localized "pressure burst," rather than widespread overtopping.

Their model indicates that most of the surge around the lake and its nearby canals was less than 11 feet above sea level, and that none of it should have been greater than 13 feet. The Army Corps's flood-protection system for New Orleans was designed to handle surges of more than 14 feet above sea level.

"This should not have been a big deal for these floodwalls," said oceanographer G. Paul Kemp. There's no way this should have exceeded the capacity."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: army; cary; construction; corps; engineers; floodwalls; katrina; levees
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To: Echo Talon

Did you notice this case is all but over, according to Cobalt?

I wonder how much he won? :-)


61 posted on 09/21/2005 12:27:20 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: CobaltBlue
It is pretty clear that the levees held during the storm.

The city was essentially dry the next day.

The questions are, did the heavy run off as the storm went north cause the failure? Did a barge or some other heavy floating object hit the levee wall and damage it? Considering the time it took for it to fail it would seem more likely water got under the foundations of the levee wall weakening it causing it to fail. The pressures against the wall were far lower when it did fail many hours after the hurricane passed through.
62 posted on 09/21/2005 12:27:21 AM PDT by DB (©)
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To: konaice
God trumps Man. Case dismissed.

Bingo. :)

63 posted on 09/21/2005 12:28:02 AM PDT by Echo Talon (http://echotalon.blogspot.com)
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To: Echo Talon
Now your an engineer...

No, of course not. But you're not a lawyer. I am. Passed the Louisiana Bar in 1987.

64 posted on 09/21/2005 12:28:16 AM PDT by CobaltBlue (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: Howlin
Yea I know he's already booking his trip to Jamaica.
65 posted on 09/21/2005 12:29:01 AM PDT by Echo Talon (http://echotalon.blogspot.com)
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To: CobaltBlue
Sure, I do pro bono. But I don't do pro bono all the time.

Counselor, you need to get your story straight:

To: Howlin

No, dear, I love what I do. I do it for free, even, that's how much I love it.

36 posted on 09/21/2005 3:13:46 AM EDT by CobaltBlue

66 posted on 09/21/2005 12:30:11 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: CobaltBlue
I like helping people.

What the lawyer meant to say was "I like helping people-- as long as I get a 1/3 take."

67 posted on 09/21/2005 12:30:18 AM PDT by zipper (Freedom Isn't Free)
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To: Echo Talon

Ordering that new Humvee, so he can ride through the streets during that next storm, trolling for clients.


68 posted on 09/21/2005 12:30:50 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: DB

There were actually several floodwalls that failed, and several failures per floodwall.

None of it caused by canals, they don't use canals on these floodwalls.

If you ever watched the Terminator movies, or similar movies set in Los Angeles, you've seen similar construction. Concrete beds, concrete walls, solely for drainage.


69 posted on 09/21/2005 12:31:15 AM PDT by CobaltBlue (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: zipper

CobaltBlue IS the lawyer.


70 posted on 09/21/2005 12:31:21 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: CobaltBlue
No, of course not. But you're not a lawyer. I am. Passed the Louisiana Bar in 1987.

Your no Vincent LaGuardia Gambini, thats for sure. :)

71 posted on 09/21/2005 12:32:30 AM PDT by Echo Talon (http://echotalon.blogspot.com)
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To: Howlin

I didn't say I always do pro bono, nothing but pro bono. Nobody does. Everybody needs to make a living, unless their husband supports them or something.


72 posted on 09/21/2005 12:33:03 AM PDT by CobaltBlue (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: Howlin

LOL


73 posted on 09/21/2005 12:33:20 AM PDT by Echo Talon (http://echotalon.blogspot.com)
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To: Echo Talon
Your no Vincent LaGuardia Gambini, thats for sure.

I don't even know who that is. Sorry.

74 posted on 09/21/2005 12:34:20 AM PDT by CobaltBlue (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: CobaltBlue

Are you now calling your own words a lie?

Maybe you should sue yourself for defamation of character?


75 posted on 09/21/2005 12:34:36 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin; CobaltBlue
I wonder how much he won? :-)

We won't know how much she wins for a while, but she's already floated a good start on her final argument...

76 posted on 09/21/2005 12:35:02 AM PDT by umbagi (Austin 'til Friday, then Kerrville, back home Saturday. Y'All stay safe!)
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To: CobaltBlue
That's what the Army Corps of Engineers is saying, but it looks like they might be covering their butts.

State and local politicians of course did everything in their power to assure that all funds for the levees were directed to the Corp of Engineers but the Corp just wouldn't put their hand out and take the money so the local politicians had to redirect spending to other issues to maintain budget growth.

Anyone interested in buying a bridge?

77 posted on 09/21/2005 12:35:14 AM PDT by EGPWS
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To: Howlin

Maybe there is another reason you aren't a court reporter anymore? Like, you don't listen?


78 posted on 09/21/2005 12:36:21 AM PDT by CobaltBlue (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: CobaltBlue
I don't even know who that is. Sorry.

You should watch "My Cousin Vinny" maybe you could get some pointers...

79 posted on 09/21/2005 12:36:34 AM PDT by Echo Talon (http://echotalon.blogspot.com)
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To: CobaltBlue

Keep up your mindless braggadocio. It's quite becoming. Has definitely raised my opinion of money grubbing lawyers.


80 posted on 09/21/2005 12:36:45 AM PDT by dennisw (If you can serve a cup of tea right, you can do anything - Gurdjieff)
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