Posted on 02/02/2006 10:08:40 AM PST by ncountylee
In the chaos that followed the worst natural disaster in American history, a forensic investigation has been taking place to find out what went wrong and why.
The BBC's Horizon programme has spoken to the scientists who are now confronting the real possibility that New Orleans may be the first of many cities worldwide to face extinction.
Modern day New Orleans was a city that defied the odds. Built on a mosquito infested swamp squashed between two vast bodies of water in what is essentially a bowl, its very existence seemed proof of the triumph of engineering over nature.
But on the 29 August 2005 New Orleans took a direct hit from Hurricane Katrina and overnight was turned into a Venice from hell.
The delicate flood system in New Orleans, that so many relied on to protect them was actually, year on year, adding to the risk of a catastrophe in the city.
Coastal Geologist Shea Penland from the University of New Orleans knows every inlet, every cove and every stretch of marsh that surrounds New Orleans.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
So if the big one takes out San Francisco it will be okay to totally abandon the place?
The problem is two fold. The sediment from the river is one thing. But also in the marshland huge areas were cut to make sort of river highways for oild exploration. This compunded the problem and is a part of it.
I applaud you for that! While admitting I don't know enough about Louisiana to have a solid view of what should be done, what I do know is that the environmental radicals are all in favor of turning vast swaths of the entire country back into wilderness. They probably see Katrina as an opportunity to "re-wild" LA and MS, and I'd hate to see them get a victory.
I hear the 'urban planners' making plans for your cities, and I just cringe. Th "Greenways" that are being promoted around the country are intended (but the groups that lobby for them) to be the start of 'connections' between 'bioreserves' where all animal life will be protected. I've been to re-wilding conferences and meetings, and I guarantee those people are rubbing their hands with glee at making NO into their vision of what an American city should be - a limited footprint high density human habitation area with green corridors that will all the animals from the surrounding wildlands to pass through unimpeded. Don't let them take control! Let Capitalism lead the way in providing the kind of city people want when they vote with their dollars.
What would happen if the levees were built to supposed Cat 5 strength, a Cat 5 hit, and it turns out the calculations were wrong again?>>>>>>>>>>>
Well Bush will just have to get there before the storm hits with some real assistance and move everyone to a safe place and then we build new levees that will withstand a category umpteen storm surge. There is plenty of money to take care of all this, all you have to do is totally disband our national defenses and put the soldiers, sailors, airmen, whatever to work with shovels and and and, noooooo, don't stick that needle in my arm, turn me loose, aaaaarrrrrggghhh.
If the citizens of Louisiana would like to cover future insurance bills for NO - drop out of the federally insured flood programs -- then you can rebuilt the city forever. On my dime, I'm not interested. And yeah, that goes the same for folks who build directly on the beach and expect me to cover redecorating costs every 6 years. In case you think I live in Iowa, my yard ends at a tidal stream... I'm 12 feet above sea level this area hasn't flooded in at least 80 years. If it started flooding every few years, I would not expect you to rebuild my home indefinitely. It's time for the folks in NO to cut their losses... Other options would be to require that new homes be built on stilts. Or the land be built up to a safe height.
The "we want the world to be the way it was before" isn't good enough. Tell me where I'm wrong.
I am convinced that this attack on Louisiana is a sly attempt to make sure the greatest Football Team in the Nation(The LSU Fighting Tigers) will lose their recruiting base(because literally the recruiting base will be under water) and not threaten other freepers football teams. Ok Calif freeper people I ask forgivness USC does not suck
YEs trying to inject a little humor here
The thing is He didn't destroy the French Quarter and Bourbon Street, you know where all the sinful activities happen. I find it ironic though that He did destroy a bunch of Baptist Churches and greatly damaged the seminary. The strippers were ready to go back to work as soon as they saw all those military guys.
If God had smited the city He would have included Bourbon Street. It's still standing and in business.
The premise of this article is wrong. N.O. was built originally on land above sea level. Jackson Square, the Quarter, uptown, are all above sea level. The storm surge got 'em. The problem is the areas below sea level, like the Ninth Ward, where the city later expanded. The real issue is whether to rebuild there.
gopj we are not talking about living off the Federal Dime forever here. LEts look at the engineering solutions before we eliminate insurance programs for coastal residents. I swear this is not 19th century Russian where all us folks on the Coast are Serfs that produce the resources for the rest of the folks. I suppose we can all abandon the coast and the industries. I guess we could bus in tons of illegal immigrants to work in the oil industry. Their families are in Mexico so there will be no needs for communities churches etc. Of course all the benifit of those salaries go to Mexico so thats a downside. As to the fishing Industry perhaps we can get the Japanese to come in in 6 month trips and fish our waters. Again alleviating the need for things called communties. The port and the Mississippi River well If yall figure out a way to move that to houston let me know.
Besides, how could we make it without our "Chocolate" City?
Exactly for a city its size its one of the most religious cities in the country. Esp in the surrounding area. Good gosh for all the "sin" in New Orleans they didnt even have good Strip Bars. you have to go to Memphis, Dallas, or Houston for that
ok are you telling me that you wish to stand by the fact that San Franscico back then did notrecieved not one thin dime of Federal help or do you want to continue to embrace this urban legend
I apologize for making that sound harsh, I should have typed would become extinct, not should. I do not hate Israel or the Netherlands or even New Orleans, my point which was poorly made, was it is not in my opinion a smart move to build or rebuild below sea level.
Rebuilding's fine if there's some thought put into it.
What does better building codes have to do with immigrants in the oil industry or Mexican fishermen? Did I hit a nerve? If so, many apologies...
Actually a Yamaha V-Max is proof of the triumph of engineering over nature.
I have read reports that the Federal help for San fran during its time of need then was tremedous. However lets face facts times have changed. after WWii for good or bad the role of the Federal GOvt changed. TO put in mildly our economy changed. We became the economic power house of the world. AS a part of these Louisian made and still makes its contribution. IF today for instance a massive diaster happened in California my response would not be to go back to a the pre war war II style of Fedral assistance. This would make no sense since California taken by itself is the 7th largest economy in the World. If New York for instance was hit by a dirty bomb and made huge parts not safe to work in it would be insane to allow purely free enterprise to correct the problems. Louisiana folks would be the first in bith instances to support anything nescessay to make sure those areas got back on their feet. The point being there are economic factors that do not allow a pure economic laize Faire Economic approach that were not present in 1907
If San Francisco rebuilt buildings that couldn't withstand a small earthquake I wouldn't want to pay to rebuilt there either. But SF is doing what they can to design buildings that can withstand powerful earthquakes. NO needs to do the same about flooding. Move the city up, or the buildings up, or something. Just to "rebuilt" is nuts.
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