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9 Weeks to Pump Out New Orleans?

Posted by Cliff on from the katrina's-aftermath dept.

Cr0w T. Trollbot asks: "It looks like New Orleans is going through something very close to the worst case scenario right now. This somewhat prescient study, written well before the hurricane, describes some of the challenges (engineering and otherwise) facing New Orleans. 'In this hypothetical storm scenario, it is estimated that it would take nine weeks to pump the water out of the city, and only then could assessments begin to determine what buildings were habitable or salvageable. Sewer, water, and the extensive forced drainage pumping systems would be damaged. National authorities would be scrambling to build tent cities to house the hundreds of thousands of refugees unable to return to their homes and without other relocation options.' The hypothetical is looking awful close to reality right now. What can be done about draining and rebuilding New Orleans in light of the massive flooding, and what can be done to prevent and/or lessen such disasters in the future?"

7 of 2,153 comments (clear)

  1. Water City by fembots · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I know this sounds crazy, but given its bowl shape terrain, instead of pumping out the water and rebuild, why don't they rebuild over the water?

    Otherwise, try asking Dutch how they have been living with large parts of Netherlands below sea level.

    --
    Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
    1. Re:Water City by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Even more importantly, they let Galveston become a cute little tourist town, and they moved all the important stuff like the seaport inland to Houston. (Before the storm, Galveston had been one of the most important cities in Texas.) That makes things go much more smoothly when they have to completely empty Galveston Island every few years due to a Hurricane warning.

      IMO, they ought to do the same here. Build ultra-stout levees around (or raise by 25 feet) the French Quarter and a few other attractions, and rebuild the rest of the city farther inland.

  2. Re:I wonder... by phatwuss · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Much to Mullah Robertson's dismay, the infidel Hugo Chavez has pledged aid in the form of food and fuel. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050829/pl_afp/usweat hervenezuelaoil

    --
    web design experiments
  3. Re:I wonder... by williamyf · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am a venezuelan.

    As per rules and regulations of foreign policy. The Aid will not be delivered until it is requested.

    When we had our desaster here (Vargas 1999), Mr. Chavez was ofered aid from the USA, and he declined it because his administration feared that there would be spyes infiltrated in the relief personel.

    I guess Mr. Bush will go by the same token. The only difference being that the USA is in a much better position to reject the aid than venezuela was in its time.

    Think of it as just another outburst in an already agitaded foreign policy between the two countries.

    If you all did not notice, I do not like Mr. Chavez, or Mr. Bush, albeit, for different reasons in each case.

    Suerte a todos y feliz dia!

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    *** Suerte a todos y Feliz dia!
  4. America "chernobyl". Just walk away by DigiShaman · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I say we just abandon New Orleans if the damage is too extensive to rebuild. Basically, call it Americas "chernobyl" and move on. Ya, there are fond memories in that city...but sometimes it's best to not fight nature. Just leave it be. But up a memorial, rebuild refineries in other areas...but slowly, just walk away from it.

    I doubt this will happen, but it would be better in the long run then supporting a city BELOW see level.

    --
    Life is not for the lazy.
  5. My little voice about it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Let me put in here my (little) experience about floodings.

    I live in Venice, well in the hinterland of it. As you may know, it's a city build "on" the water. Or, better said, on a group of islands (107, exactly) in a laguna, directly connected by three connections to the mediterranean sea.
    The area suffers from geological bradyseism (sinking) of few centimeters per year.
    It's an irreversible process, simply leading to a worse situation as time goes by.

    The city suffers an average of 50 floodings per year, with peak heigth of the water of more than a meter in the lower zones.
    "Just" 40 years ago, the count of floodings per year was less than a dozen.
    Lots are the analysis, conferences and general discussion on which should be best ways to limit the effects of such situation.
    Well, the most common answer is: there's no solution.
    It is just possible to extend the agony, not to dry up the city.

    So, I agree with the cynical comment red so far: if you consider it worth, go and rebuild some kilometers faraway.
    Sad but true.

    Back to New Orleans - which is not Venice indeed - surely it will be possible to clean the city, polish it up and recall it to normality, but nothing assures you another similar (or even worse) flooding won't occur again, vanishing every effort.

    Good luck to whose are still there.

  6. looting vs. finding by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Check out these pictures:

    "Two residents wade through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store in New Orleans, Louisiana."

    http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050830/ph otos_tc_afp/050830194101_mzffh1jl_photo1

    "A young man walks through chest deep flood water after looting a grocery store in New Orleans on Tuesday. (AP/Dave Martin)"

    http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050830/19 13/w083049ajpg

    So when it's a young black man it's called looting, but when it's a white woman it's called 'finding'?