Tuesday, September 14, 2004
New Orleans in the drink
Six months ago I heard a story on NPR about how a force-4 hurricane could flood New Orleans. The destruction of local wetlands removed past barriers to flooding; rather than respond in an environmentally conscientious way, the Army Corps of Engineers merely built dikes surrounding the city. Now, if and when a hurricane hits, those dikes will simply hold the water inside the city limits.
According to the original story, the government's engineer proposed building a hundred-foot high cement wall around the Latin Quarter--a sort of urban lifeboat for anyone who made it inside before the door closed. But since that New Orleans' worst-case scenario could happen within a matter of days, I suppose it's too late for the cement lifeboat fallback plan.
Noah, where are you when we need you?
According to the original story, the government's engineer proposed building a hundred-foot high cement wall around the Latin Quarter--a sort of urban lifeboat for anyone who made it inside before the door closed. But since that New Orleans' worst-case scenario could happen within a matter of days, I suppose it's too late for the cement lifeboat fallback plan.
Noah, where are you when we need you?
