The idea has just occurred to me, -while responding to the thread asking whether one would go back to such a place, as present day New Orleans.

Beyond possibly filling her up, - which I think now to be a pretty NON feasable non starter, -it seems (till now) that the only solution is more / bigger / stronger / higher / better floodwalls, dikes, levees, and such. To take a direct Category 5 and above. Maybe so.

But cannot the renewed metro area be built on stilts, -and threaded with canals, -as Venice and many other water level cities are?

Sure, aging Venice has it's problems, -but thats beside the immeadiate point. Venice once worked very well. Much of it I'm sure still does. A "Venice done right" can work eminently well.

And so can a New New Orleans done right. Whether that be via a "Truly Best in levees" approach, "Veniceization", or some combination of both. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]

Oops... Removed my political answer after reading the forum rules. Sorry.

One wee small problem. Aren't there a bunch of chemical works below the flood plain? Flooding that land would be bad. Not as bad as the initial hubris of building such facilities there, but still bad.

a Good Point and Thot. I'll think it over. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]IzzyJG99[/email]

Pretty much Ditto what I said to Izzy. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ironraven[/email]

The amount of fill, coupled with the amount of subsidance and the forces of 'Ol Man River would doom any such plan. The expense would be astronomical and the disruption of the city total. Sort of like destroying the town in order to save it. And how exactly would one "Venice" New Orleans, plan-wise? Remember, the water threat facing Venice is tidal. That would not be the case if you connected Lake Ponchatrain, a shallow, brackish lake to the Mississippi River, the most powerful river in the Nation. The River's current has eaten up entire tows in under 20 years. No "islands" would last a decade, unless each of them had levees able to withstand the water pressures of a Force 5 storm, every day.

OK, for the record, and so we can get back to discussing Leathermans, EDC and the like - New Orleans is not a gigantic punchbowl waiting to be filled up by God, but prevented by the diabolical Corps of Engineers. Not all if it is below Sea Level. Remember, the older parts of the city DID NOT flood. While my parent's house (where I grew up) got 8.5 feet of water, my in-law's - less than a half mile away - got over 10 feet, and others, less than a quarter mile from that, were dry. There are elevation changes over 15 feet falling away from the Mississippi River, and there are several natural ridges running through the city (look at the flooding images and you'll see them - follow the dry land.) When I was in college, I worked summers and holidays for several land surveyors in the City, and I was amazed at the elevation changes within the City. Mind you, we are talking variances of no more than 20 feet, but that was enough to save most of Uptown south of St. Charles Avenue, and the French Quarter, from the water.

I speak from experience: I was born and raised in New Orleans. Currently, I go down there at least once a week to work on my parents house, and to work on projects for clients. (I think I am the only ETS poster regularly going down there - since "Peanut" no longer posts) And I am also an Architect (hence, the clients...)

In short, New Olreans will not be abandoned, filled in, or made a new Venice. It will return. Changed? Oh, yes. (They are building a flood gate on the site of my beloved Sid-Mar's restruant) But it WILL return. It is returning. And I'm doing my part to make sure it does.

If I sound testy about this, Scott, I apologize. That is not my intent, and I know your proposal was meant with the best of intentions. But I have been living with this..... event, daily, for more than seven months now, and it shows no sign of fading from our lives.

.....CLIFF

Granted there could be obstacles both as you mention, and otherwise, -which could make such Recovery Plan(s) as I mention not feasable or cost effective. I had already pretty well come to such a conclusion myself, -as to my earlier Fill In proposal.

And I did not take your thoughtful response (I Appreciate it, -Thanks for it!) to be testy or etc. Just like to Reassure on that.

As another variation on New Orleans Recovery ideas, -perhaps it can become another sort of floating city, -on barge like platforms, and/or stilt like structures. This has just occurred to me, upon reading your reply. Of course there would be the problem and matter of mooring such against the current, -in storm times and normal ones. This too could possibly turn out to be unworkable as well, -I do acknowledge.

I say this all at least half seriously, and not totally in jest. And I certainly don't mean to make light jest out of the New Orleans Plight and Prospects, in itself.

Well wishes to you both personally, -and as one of many in the New Orleans area, -in both your day to day copeing, -and eventual Completed Recovery, -however that is. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]cliff[/email]