How Strong Are The Levees?

Question

Not just those that broke in Katrina, I'm talking the canals, the lake and the River in Jefferson & Orleans Parish. The hill levee and the wall levee.

Answer 1

Anything built by man can be totally wiped away by nature at any given time. Just read an article about people in New Orleans feeling comfortable/complacent about the new levees, they shouldn't.

Answer 2

im think that i heard they cant withstand a cat 2... gustav will be a least a cat 3

get everything that means something to you and LEAVE asap, you dont wanna get stuck in traffic

Answer 3

Not sure--I hope they are not tested this soon after Katrina

Answer 4

All of the levees in SE Louisiana were inspected after Katrina. The ones damaged by the storm were repaired by the Summer of 2006, and the ones that weren't damaged were brought up to specifications (many were found to be below the pre-Katrina requirements).

The levee system is actually much better than it was at the time Katrina struck, and much of it has benefited from the upgrade that is in progress.  For example, the lake levee in Jefferson Parish was raised several feet and the pumping stations were reinforced to correct the problems they experienced during Katrina.

Fleur de Lis is correct and the area of most concern is in the eastern part of the metro area, particularly around Chalmette and the Industrial Canal.

Answer 5

It doesn't really matter.

I made my bed when I quit my job and moved to this swamp so I get what I came for. This place is simply prone to flooding. Chalmette and N.O. east has been AND ALWAYS WILL BE open to storms. People have their minds wrapped up in the Katrina episode and seem to forget about hurricane Betsy. I wasn't around then but people have told me about that one in 1965 or so. Or you can just read about it on the internet or library or whatever. People drowned in the attics then when they couldn't get out. They showed pictures of boats going across the eastern area of Rampart Street all the way down to St. Claude Ave. Chalmette was completely and utterly inundated then as well. Nothing has changed. If anything, the levees were newer then than they are now, of course. The system degrades over time and needs to be maintained. Bottom line: THE BEST land in this place is the closest to the river. The river bank is the strongest part of this town; period. They knew that 2 or 3 hundred years ago and nothing has changed. That news woman Angela Hill had a show on TV with the famous older veteran weatherguy, Nash Roberts. You people need to be concerned about a worst case scenario he mentioned because it totally makes sense to me. He mentioned the possibility of any strong hurricane; not necessarily a CAT 5, but something like Betsy making it's way up the Rigolets, past NO east, and then stalling over Lake Ponchartrain. They keyword being STALL. After all, that is a large area of water and hurricanes like water. It's a shallow "lake" which makes it warmer and hurricanes like heat as well. That has NEVER happened before. I got a cartoon e-mail joke one time that describes it in a nutshell. The e-mail attachment had a picture of a toilet. The toilet tank represents lake Ponchartrain. The toilet bowl is Metairie, Kenner, NO, east and whatever else. That was the best illustration I've ever seen. I don't want to make light of the situation but it was just good. But back to the scenario. If a high intensity storm ever stalled over the lake like that for a significant period of time, well, I know I hope I got ALL of my stuff together. Because if that ever happened, it won't matter what you, your buddies, the levee board, or anybody else builds in this town, you're gonna need a submarine to get around this place. I guess I could end my little lesson here by giving new meaning to the phrase....... "look on the bright side."

Answer 6

the system's Achilles' heel remains the Industrial Canal area,Corps contractors were hustling Wednesday to fill and place hundreds of massive sand baskets along a particularly risky 1,800 feet of floodwall on the Industrial Canal's west side between Interstate 10 and the lake.

this article is 3 pages

http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/ind...

it also says the west bank in jefferson is in danger

Answer 7

I thought that this was a good article, you should read it. It seems like the government is far more advanced and ready than 3 years ago.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/wo...

I'll be hoping and praying for my favorite city in the whole world!

I ♥ N.O.L.A.

Answer 8

no clue