New Orleans and "the Bowl"

[Sean in New Orleans]

Just wanted to clarify something for everyone. Yes, New Orleans is surrouded by levees to keep the storm surge out and it is good up to a slow moving category 3. After that, there is no proof it will keep the Gulf of Mexico out. Of course, once the water gets in it can't get out. I do want everyone to know that there is a plan to get the water out (even in the middle of the hurricane if need be). The plan is to blow the levee up with dynamite and let the water out that way. I'm not sure where they have plans to blow the levee up, but, I know that they try to do it in the least populated areas outside of the levee. Just wanted to clarify this for everyone. This problem has already been addressed by local officials.

[Guest]

With a Cat 5 the city may not need dynamite as Ivan may bust them all.

[logybogy]

Yeah, what happens if Ivan busts the levee's up himself?

Then there is no bowl to trap the water? The whole city just gets washed away by the storm surge?

[HardCard]

Sean,

The plan is to detonate an area roughly 100 yards in length from Algiers point down river. This would drive the surge into Algiers proper and down past English turn and let the water evac through plaq parish.

The only question is... Will it work? Not without killing thousands. That path follows through heavy residential areas.

[Mello1]

Just wanted to clarify something for everyone. Yes, New Orleans is surrouded by levees to keep the storm surge out and it is good up to a slow moving category 3. After that, there is no proof it will keep the Gulf of Mexico out. Of course, once the water gets in it can't get out. I do want everyone to know that there is a plan to get the water out (even in the middle of the hurricane if need be). The plan is to blow the levee up with dynamite and let the water out that way. I'm not sure where they have plans to blow the levee up, but, I know that they try to do it in the least populated areas outside of the levee. Just wanted to clarify this for everyone. This problem has already been addressed by local officials.

Hmmm. Interesting you say that because I remember watching the History Channel's The Wrath of God, I believe and they talked about a storm that went thru that area in the '20s or '30s and it was decided that in order to save NO, they had to flood another town. They were supposed to have built that town back, but they really never did. I was thinking about that program just today as talk of NO started coming into play...

[Nexus]

I posted this on another thread, but:

Check out these two informative graphics:

http://www.nola.com/hurricane/images/nolalevees_jpg.jpg

http://www.nola.com/hurricane/images/goingunder_jpg.jpg

These are very detailed, and rather frightening.

[Presto]

Another frightening article.

Saw this posted a few days ago.

http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf ... one_1.html

[crazycajuncane]

I have many.... many friends in New Orleans. I hope they get the hell out of there soon!

[CentralFloridaGal]

Another frightening article.

Is it me, or is it odd that they are advertising homes over half a million US dollars alongside a hurricane article titled "The Big One"?

[sfgal]

As a resident of San Francisco and a former resident of New Orleans (with most of my friends and family there), I have to say that the article posted by Presto was quite the disturbing read. The "big one" (hurricane) hitting NO would be the worst natural disaster for the US, with the "big one" (earthquake) hitting SF being the third?? Ouch. In any event, I hope that none of these catastrophic events happens in our lifetimes (I actually hope that they never ever happen, but I think the odds are against that). And I hope Ivan weakens dramatically before landfall and, selfishly, that he avoids NO altogether.