New Orleans 'risks extinction'

BBC ^ | 2 February 2006 | Helen Lambourne

[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.

[CajunConservative]

NO needs to do the same about flooding. Move the city up, or the buildings up, or something. Just to "rebuilt" is nuts.

They are as soon as the elevation requirements are decided on. That is why homeowners are in limbo right now. Lower Cameron parish is being rebuilt totally different, that is if the locals don't throw FEMA to the gators.

[bayourant]

And by the way since this whole discussion has got me in an uproar let me say this. We are not Liberia here. Aid to us should not be conditioned on Regime change as some have put it. I am sure that that the liberal programs other states have and fund because they can do so because my tax dollars fund other essential services in your State doesnt mean I have a right to say no aid unless you get rid of yalls elected officials. For instance if a major disaster hit San Franscisco(not to pick on it) I dont think it would be morally right to withold aid untill the good citizens of Califoornia got rid of their horrible legislature and removed Nancy Peliosi from office. "Regime change will occur" but it will occur at the next election. We cannot wait two years and not start solving the problems here. Hurricane season will not wait for the next election

[bigeasy_70118]

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.

That is the general recommendation of those vested with the rebuilding process.

[bayourant]

We are not just rebuilding it. Again the process is occuring. But the govt has no power to decide by executive fiat major decisions that have the result of people being deprived of their property. Its irrating yes. Its cumbersome yes. But its reality. This is not 1866 well the State of Louisiana is under Federal Reconstruction by Military Governors and the normal civil laws dont apply

[BnBlFlag]

My Maternal Grandfather was from New Orleans, my Mother was from Lake Charles and I'm originally from Beaumont so I love South Louisiana, it's people and it's Culture. Some of the best times in my life have been in N.O. and S. La.
I agree that the problems of Coastal erosion are man made.
What about removing the levees south of N.O.? How much would that aleviate the erosion problem?
A retainer wall between Miss. and Texas is so extreme as to be ridiculous. Besides, would that not abandon everything south of the barrier?
I also agree that the most flood prone areas of N.O. should be abandoned. This will be hard to get done because the main objective of both Nagin and Blanco is to repack the ninth and other flood prone areas with Black Democrat voters, not the overall good of the City and area.
Give us a Laundry List of your proposals and their costs (keeping the costs to a reasonable amount that will have a chance of being approved by Congress).

[DesScorp]

"Spoken like a true knuckle-dragging moron. Tell me, does stupidity hurt?"

Says the man defending the concept of a city below sea level surrounded by three huge bodies of water, and sinking further every year.

Maybe Austin would be the place for you, eh?

[bayourant]

Cool ok thank you for your reason. YOur the second person thats has mentioned some referring to a retaiing wall today. I think this refers to the barrier Islands, Again I dont know who was explaing this concept but it would not be some continuous wall running across the Coast. One thing I would say as to the Ninth ward. Nagin is to say the least an confusing guy. Its not all clear to me at this point that this is the plan. In fact there was a general uproar because after the Hurricane he was meeting and still meeting with people in the power group he has formed that seem to have the opposite idea. Nagin was elected largely with the help of White Voters. OF course he has made the republican lakeview area so mad he might try to change tactics. I give a list in the next post

[DesScorp]

"You don't need a metropolis to operate the Port of New Orleans."

You don't neccessarily need a Port of New Orleans at all. NO was dominant because of river travel for goods. That's been replaced by air, truck, and rail now. You could easily redirect almost all of the traffic to other ports. Houston, Mobile, and Tampa could take the traffic easily.

[been_lurking]

The problem in large part is Coastal erosion which can be fixed.

Mother Nature will always win. Mother Nature has always won. Man can either "mitigate", "delay" or "adapt" -- but man cannot stop geological change.

Those who feel man can control nature are also the same group who blame mankind for "environmental change". Left to it's own devices, completely absent the effects of man, the earth will still transform and change. Humans, by nature, are very conceited and shortsighted. Man only looks at things in terms of 100's of years. The earth, on the other hand, operates on timescales of 1000's, 10,000's and 1,000,000's of years and has no capacity for conceit. Any impact man creates on his small slice of the environment today is meaningless to the earth's timeless cycle of change. New Orleans is only a minuscule speck in the earth's history.

[Glenn]

We cannot wait two years and not start solving the problems here.

So solve them. What are you waiting for? What is it you need? As long as you get food to eat and water to drink from the government, rebuild using the sweat of your brow. You owe it to the taxpayers.

And I mean "you" collectively. Not personally.

[DesScorp]

"Finally San Francisco is built above sea level."

And if the big one DID take out SF, I'd say yes, maybe it's time we build elsewhere, ya know...

[bayourant]

As to whats needed. First we got to figure out if certain Corp of Enginneer projects were part of the problem. I am esp thinking of whats called Mr Go in St BErnard Parish. This is controversal but there is evidence that it operated as a major funnel that brought the waters into St BErnard and Orleans Parish. Two true Coastal erosion reclaimation projects Coast wide. THree- IMprovement of the levee system, and 4 the Biggie. and potentially the most expensive and the most chaotic for Louisiana. Serious thought must be taken as to the course of this river. We all know that the river wants to follow a course similar to the atchaflya river. In fact we are prob one smart terroist attack on one area of the river of that happening. The key is to retain enough water in the now channel of the River for navigation and more importantly to prevent Salt water Infusion into the Parishes. However I am willing to think about the unthinkable and allowing the river to change course which would have the benifit of building up areas of the Coast. Of course whole towns and cities would have to be moved

[bayourant]

Thats what we are doing down here. The main concern is the levee system. Also if we dont get funds now for major restoration of the coast then by human nature the project will be forgotten untill the next trajedy hits

[bayourant]

The problem again is that this not all "mother nature" its "mother nature" plus alot of man interference thats a part of it.

[bayourant]

I cant believe you said that. The Mississippi river as to traffic is huge. People have no idea what traffic and the volume goes down with it. Also as to the surronding area the network of Pipe lines etc that get that oil to you and your gas pump is truley a wonder of the World. It would take years for instance for the Port of Baton Rouge to even build up to take up a portion of the slack if NOLA was gone

[SF Republican]

Glad to hear you are on board; it is odd, I live about 6 blocks from the beach about 60 ft above sea level; Sacramento is 100 miles inland at 11 ft above.

[bayourant]

The problem about building else where because of potential disaster is this. No where is safe. Case in point lets get off poor old San franscico. THere is a major fault line called the NEw Madrid fault. The last time it went off French Explorers recorded that the Mississippi River ran backwards for two days. Now it will go off again this not fantasy. IN fact it prob will go off in our lifetime/ Everyone knows it. However despite that building just proceeds its merry on way along the fault esp in Memphis. Now the big one hits and St LOuis and Memphis among hundreds are decimated. Shall we rebuid? Of course. The smae for San Franscisco and the surrounding areas. We just build better.

[been_lurking]

plus alot of man interference thats a part of it.

You completely missed my point. Whether or not man "interferes" or not, the Mississippi River will change course, the coastline will erode (or expand), glaciers will grow (or shrink), rainfall will increase (or end), temperatures will soar (or plummet).

Man cannot control Mother Nature. All we can do is "delay", "mitigate", or adapt.

Clearly you fall into the "delay" and/or "mitigate" crowd. That is simply because as a human being you have a very shortsighted view of things and you are conceited enough to think you can create somekind of meaningful impact. You can't. In the long run Mother Nature will win. You are only fighting a losing battle when you "delay" and "mitigate".

[hosepipe]

[ Ummm, it's a city below sea level, that's sinking, in an active hurricane zone. And that's just for starters... ]

and run by democrats.. lose, lose, lose situation.. Its a miracle that it didn't happen long before now..

[RHINO369]

If you're going to take federal money to rebuild, you better take our suggestions on how to avoid the same thing happening twice. You have no fundamental right to get your belongings insured for free by the government.