National Geographic has published an article on the New Orleans levee system entitled "New Orleans Levees, Are They Safe?". The article indicates, as has been reported from other sources, that the levees are now back to where they were Pre-Katrina, but is that really good enough? A group funded by the NSF with members including UMR Professor J. David Rogers and Berkley professor Bob Bea has pointed out various shortcomings of the levee system. The Corps has responded with the view that the levee system is adequate, and that new flood gates will prevent a storm surge like Katrina’s from overtopping the existing levee system.
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USACE Blasts Time Magazine Article
USACE responds to TIME magazine’s August 13, 2007, cover story, "The Threatening Storm"
WASHINGTON (August 13, 2007) – TIME magazine’s August 13, 2007, cover story, "The Threatening Storm," contains many errors and misrepresentations of facts with respect to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hurricane Katrina, and ongoing efforts to improve hurricane and storm damage reduction for southeast Louisiana.
Army Corps Looking for 100 Million Cu Yd of Clay
The US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans district is looking for an unprecedented 100 Million Cubic Yards of Clay to be used for reconstruction and fortification of levees in the New Orleans area. Once borrow sources are approved by the Corps, they will likely be contracting directly with a USACOE contractor constructing one of the projects associated with New Orleans Hurricane Protection System. Material specs are USCS classification of CL or CH, <35% sand, PI < 10, organic content < 9%.