New Orleans

Post by **SonomaCat** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:27 pm

I haven't read anything that speaks to this point, so I'm hoping that someone in here has some insight into this question. Since we keep hearing that much of New Orleans is below sea level, does that mean that the flood waters will never recede on their own eventually, like other floods? If that is true, then how will they ever manage to dry the city out and start the rebuilding/cleaning up process? Do they have to pump all of the water out (a huge project), or is there another way?

Seeing pictures of the damage and hearing accounts from the survivors (not to mention seeing the all-too-typical looting stories), it just makes me really happy to live above sea level (although my car is probably garaged below sea level, so it is on its own).

El_Gato · Post by **El_Gato** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:30 pm

I've heard several news reports talking about how long it will take to "pump out" the city, so I guess that's the only way to do it. It sounds as if this one will be felt for years, not months...

info197176 · Post by **info197176** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:33 pm

BAC: What I have heard is that all of the water that currently inandates New Orleans must be pumped out...the city is ten feet below sea level. Currently water is flowing into the city from both the sea and the nearby fresh water lake. Soooo an interesting mixture of those waters and sewage, bodies, animal carcasses, fuel, etc. is making for an interesting "brew" flowing over the city...

El_Gato · Post by **El_Gato** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:36 pm

info197176 wrote:...is making for an interesting "brew" flowing over the city...

And with that, Meat & Quast are no doubt off to 'Nawlins' to "help" with the clean-up.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:41 pm

Thanks guys!

Wow, what a mess.

gtapp · Post by **gtapp** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:01 pm

info197176 wrote:BAC: What I have heard is that all of the water that currently inandates New Orleans must be pumped out...the city is ten feet below sea level. Currently water is flowing into the city from both the sea and the nearby fresh water lake. Soooo an interesting mixture of those waters and sewage, bodies, animal carcasses, fuel, etc. is making for an interesting "brew" flowing over the city...

Somebody please light a match!

Post by **rtb** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:36 pm

BAC: from the news that I was just watching the Army Corp of Engineers estimates that it will take 3-6 months just to pump the water out!!! And that won't be able to start until they fix the areas where the levee is open.

Felisrufus · Post by **Felisrufus** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:36 pm

After the water is pumped out, what happens to all of the homes, businesses, etc. that have been flooded by this "toxic brew"? Will you need to have an environmental team come in and clean your home? Would it be easier to just tear it down and start from scratch? I haven't really heard anything mentioned in the media about it.

GavinDonos · Post by **GavinDonos** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:46 pm

The only place to pump the water is into the lake that is already overflowing into N.O. So pumping anything out now would be like peeing on your own head. They will literally have to wait for the lake to evaporate enough to begin pumping.

They cannot pump into the ocean due to the pollution concerns. Rumor has it that that water could be dirty enough to kill sea life throughout the entire gulf.

I hate to say it, but the more I see of this situation, the more it seems like New Orleans is finished. And I'm not just saying that lightly.

Ponycat · Post by **Ponycat** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:35 pm

I just heard that the water finally stopped rising so it is now apparently even with Lake Ponchitrain (sp?). Whats frustrating to me, and I could be wrong on this, is that every interview I saw leading up to this, officials knew this would happen and basically all they did was hope for the best.

I understand the whole aluvial fan of of the Mississippi concept and its changing over the last 200 years but I always thought there was a little more in place than simply a hope and prayer.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:36 pm

GavinDonos wrote:The only place to pump the water is into the lake that is already overflowing into N.O. So pumping anything out now would be like peeing on your own head. They will literally have to wait for the lake to evaporate enough to begin pumping.

They cannot pump into the ocean due to the pollution concerns. Rumor has it that that water could be dirty enough to kill sea life throughout the entire gulf.

I hate to say it, but the more I see of this situation, the more it seems like New Orleans is finished. And I'm not just saying that lightly.

I was asking about the very thing you brought up in your last paragraph to a guy I work with who is from there. He claims that they've been flooded in the past, and that they will just rebuild (which he worries will wipe out a lot of the character of the city and turn it into a strip mall nation city). My concerns are similar to yours, though. It seems almost silly to rebuild on a spot that is below sea level and that obviously is at risk for another disaster of this kind during any given year. The insurance money will probably be there to rebuild (along with a healthy dose of federal disaster funds), so maybe since the money is coming from someone else's pockets, the people will just rebuild there and take the risk. If it was my money, though, I'd have to consider rebuilding on higher ground.

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:17 pm

What's with people who build and live in the Mississippi River flood plain?

Ya known, they call it a "flood plain" for a reason!

So it will take 6 months for these flood waters to pump out. I hope someone is remembering that the likelihood of another storm is pretty good, and are trying to figure out just how the heck they'll deal with it (those?). Not a Katrina type storm, but just think what an inch of rain in an hour will do even? Those types of storms are a given before this flood is handled.

sad sad sad - but not necessarily surprising to me.