What do you think the solution is to keep flooding in the magnitude of Katrina from happening again?

Question

i will try to answer my own question here, because I can't think of a better solution. I suggest that New Orleans do what Sacramento CA did 100 years ago: Haul in dirt and rock donated to the city from surrounding states. New Orleans sits in a 'bowl' 8 ft below sea level and no levee will ever stop the amount of water such as Katrina produced.

Sacramento hauled dirt and rock in and built their city up to 15 ft above sea level and it has never flooded since.

Because New Orleans is basically 99% destroyed and the ground is so contaminated that it would be unwise and unfit to rebuild, the 'new' dirt and rock would be like a new beginning for this city and would stop it from ever flooding again.

Anyone have comments or rebuttals?

Answer 1

Stop trying  to tell the Mississippi river where to go, sooner or later it going to be exactly where it wants to be  been trying to cut a channel that would leave new Orleans about fifty miles from the river, but duh!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE cant have that new Orleans without the river, why that's like stomping on the saints flag.Look there will come a time when the levees don't work, the pumps wear out and it is never going to be the what it was before, nature shapes the world, not man.

Answer 2

First, I think your idea has some merit if you redefine what New Orleans would be comprised of.  The city of old, IMO, cannot be saved.  There is just too much to build up, and the bowl still is sinking some so the build up will have to be an on going thing.But, a built up Island comprising the Quarter, down town, the Irish Channel and some residential areas,  including Tulane and Loyola and adjacent areas thereto might be possible.  I guess many of the ground floor spaces in these areas could be converted to basements, and present streets become underground streets with underground homes, stores, and yes, bars.  It sounds weird, but hey, that would make a great sic fi movie.

Answer 3

Move the city inland to dirt that is ALREADY above sea level.  

Put up a new sign that says "New Orleans".

Get the government out of providing ridiculous insurance policies in ridiculous areas.  .........There's a reason why no one in their right mind is insuring home there.  However the governments not reasonable are they?

Answer 4

I think that's an expensive plan that won't work in the long term.  I think New Orleans should be rebuilt on higher ground - leave the "bowl" to return to wetlands.  It's caused ecological damage, and it's not a wise place to build a city.

I suppose you could use some of the rubble to build up an area - but not the whole city.  Look at what Chicago did after the great fire - they pushed everything into the lake, making new land and a park.

Answer 5

Don't mess with the environment. Don't cut your trees. Be sure not to throw your plastic garbage.

Answer 6

New Orleans isn't 99% destroyed, we are already rebuilding, we WILL come back,  sorry :)~. And lots of NOLA is at or above sea level. An entire half of the city is basically fine, with little to no damage. Should we destroy and abandon a large part of our HOME because another part of the city was destroyed?

Maybe you should learn something about our city before you post about it.

All these people saying we shouldn't rebuild because parts of it are below sea level, well this is our home, we WILL rebuild with YOUR tax dollars(and ours) and there is really nothing you can do about it. Boohoo for you!!!

New Orleans will return to the sea when it is its time. Don't force people out of their homes just because you don't want to help anyone. If we want to live here, it is our choice. Maybe people shouldn't live on the coasts for risk of Tsunami or in the middle of the country because of Torandoes. Lets evacuate the planet why don't we.

Bildyboo we are working and very, very few of us are relying on the government alone and not helping ourselves. Get your facts right hun :)

Answer 7

Don't rebuild in an area that is below sea level.

Answer 8

I think the best thing would to be prepaired. Get insurance, fix the levis. Work for a living and stop reliying that the government will bail  you out in a crises. Flooding will happen weather or not you fill in your holes. It happens here where we are several hundred feet above sea level. You will never be able to out think mother nature. But you can be prepaired for what ever she throws at you.