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