Essay on New Orleans Levees - 1765 Words

For years now the discussions have arose about the levee systems in America and how some are not safe and need to be replaced. This problem has been focused on the levee system in New Orleans. Many engineers and other people have asked the question whether or not the present levee system in New Orleans could withstand a huge wave or a direct hit from a powerful hurricane. These questions were answered when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans as a Category 3 hurricane which isnt even the most powerful. After the hurricane hit the levee system failed and there were many breaches in the system, which lead to the flooding of most of the city. My question is what could have been done to stop this disaster from happening and what now can be†¦show more content†¦Back in the 1800s there were severe floods in New Orleans that displaced their residents more than one. The floods occurred in 1816, 1823, and 1849. The levees back then were roughly in the same places that the levees are during Katrina. During the 1849 flood, many residents homes were flooded for up to 40 days (Colten 3). In the same article, Colten also says, that almost 2,000 homes and 12,000 residents were the ones displaced. In response to this flood, like others before and after, officials raised the levee height and thereby encouraged additional urbanization on the floodplain (Colten 3). So obviously over the years New Orleans has not learned and the tradegy will just keep happening. It has happened countless times and still I cant stress it enough of how much New Orleans hasnt learned by their mistakes. This is not opinion this is fact, it is written fact that the same problem keeps occurring at the same place, the same way but different time after time. In 1915, another major hurricane hit New Orleans and over two meters of water was stuck in the bowl levees built around the city. This huge mass of water overwhelmed the NEW city pumps and contributed to the damage of around 20,0 00 buildings (Colten 3). And again in 1947 a major hurricane hit New Orleans again and flooded fairly new Jefferson Parish, and after the storm the flood water didnt go back down again it pooled in the bowl ofShow MoreRelatedHurricane Katrin Disasters And Disasters909 Words   |  4 PagesAlabama were displaced from their homes, and experts estimate that Katrina caused more than $100 billion in damage. History.com Staff (2009). The aftermath was even worse as the levees were damaged causing increased flooding and additional damage. In preparation for the hurricane, the first ever mandatory evacuation of New Orleans was ordered. Damage Caused by Hurricane Katrina The hurricane formed over the Bahamas and gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico. 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Katrina started off as a tropical depression over the Bahamas on August 23rd and by the 25th it had madeRead MoreHurricane Devastation Of Hurricane Katrina1355 Words   |  6 PagesBefore the storm and flooding New Orleans was at specific danger. In spite of the fact that about a large portion of the city really lies above ocean level, its normal height is around six feet underneath ocean level–and it is totally encompassed by water (History.com, 2005). Throughout the span of the twentieth century, the Army Corps of Engineers had manufactured an arrangement of levees and seawalls to keep the city from flooding (Hurricane fact.com, 2005). The levees along the Mississippi RiverRead MoreThe Storm Surge Of The Hurricane1487 Words   |  6 Pagesthe governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour, both declared a state of emergency in their states. Even though there were announcements, not everyone evacuated. Later, Ray Nagin, announced the first-ever mandatory evacuation, so that the citizens of New Orleans would be prepared for whatever was coming their way (Ouellette 26). According to an article called â€Å"Chapter Five: Lessons Learned†, in the year of 2005, the central government lea rned 17 main ideas about being prepared because of Hurricane KatrinaRead MoreHurricane Katrin Hurricane Devastation1291 Words   |  6 Pagesinfrastructure and physical characteristics of cities like New Orleans experience a much greater impact than would normally be expected with a category three hurricane. 1,833 people were killed, the majority of whom were in Louisiana (CNN Library). The total damage to property, buildings, infrastructure, etc. was $108 billion, the most damage ever incurred by a hurricane in the United States (CNN Library). Seventy percent of all occupied housing in New Orleans were destroyed and hundreds of thousands were displacedRead MoreThe Response Of Hurricane Katrina1625 Words   |  7 PagesDuring times of extreme poverty and inequality more attention is provided to those in hardship. A prime example of this is New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. Before the hurricane hit the only time I had hear of New Orleans was if someone was speaking about doin g down to Mardi Gras. The people affected by the hurricane lost a lot. Many lost their homes, tangible possessions stored in their homes, animals, and some lost their lives. Hurricane Katrina was a huge devastation to the country, butRead MoreThe Un Natural Disaster Of Hurricane Katrina1037 Words   |  5 Pagesin New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina is infamous: the storm that buried the vibrant city of New Orleans under up to sixteen feet of water. Hurricane Katrina was a natural disaster, but the crimes committed against the storm’s survivors in the months prior, setting them up for devastation, were the true tragedies. Not only were the citizens of the Big Easy neglected pre-Katrina, but they remained on the back burner of the federal government for days after the storm hit. Citizens of New Orleans - whoRead MoreThe Levees Broke858 Words   |  4 PagesWhen the Levees Broke is about Katrina and how New Orleans was affected, but not only by the storm, but by the levees that were built to protect them. After the storm had hit and they were picking up what little pieces were left of New Orleans, it became know that even the levees that were possibly built for a level three storm broke down from a level one storm. New Orleans was told to be ready for the storm, but they weren’t even close. The im ages shown in the documentary only showed the half of