Testing The Levees

[Yogi]

Test will evaluate New Orleans levees
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- A newly rebuilt levee in New Orleans will undergo a major test next week to see how well it can withstand another hurricane.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will pump water into a section of the London Avenue Canal to check for seepage and any tilt in the structure that will indicate just how sturdy the new levee is.

"Some computations show the wall is going to fail at certain water levels; some show it won't,” consulting engineer Ray Martin told The Washington Post Saturday. “This experiment will let us know."

London Avenue’s walls failed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, allowing tons of water to pour into the city. Engineers point out the Mississippi Delta’s sedimentary soil makes it difficult to provide the kind of solid support needed for walls told hold back

Am I missing something here? What if this test shows the levees will fail? Won't there be another flood from the testing then

[Bedford]

You are expecting something in the middle of a blue area to work perfectly? It would be lucky ti handle a Level 2 Hurricane.

[meadow]

but isn't FEMA run by those pesky Republicans?!?!!? i mean..give me a fricking break. it's EVERYONE in government's fault, collectively, from the last 50 years. Democrat, Republican...in the end...a lot of people died for no good reason. a lot of POOR people died needlessly.

i think it's better to find out now instead of the middle of a serious hurricane. i'm sure now that New Orleans has a better idea of where problem areas are and what would need to happen to make sure another Katrina never happens again.

[Bedford]

WHile those at the top may change with who has the presidency, the bureaucracy never changes, and Democrats are far more likely to be entrenched bureaucrats, as Republicans would prefer doing things more constructive.

[meadow]

you really and truly believe that crap? seriously?

wow, you are sad.

[AJRC_CS]

Just seen this story and it's very odd. So they're going to potentially flood New Orleans again, but this time deliberately? Yeah, that sounds like a very good idea. I just hope for the people of New Orleans sake they've done a better job at building the levee this time.

[mdkilmer]

What they ought to do is simply open all the levees and put New Orleans out of its misery. The city has flooded out 12? times since it was founded.

It's below sea level and built on a silt delta They should simply re-establish it a mile upriver on solid ground and quit spending all our money on rebuilding it.

[Bedford]

Well, they should keep the historic section; it was the one area that made for a decent place of settlement.

[mdkilmer]

Move the historic section to solid ground, then. If not, then let it wash away.

I object to N.O. demanding $250 BILLION dollars to rebuild, out of our pockets-- they're "too poor" to rebuild it themselves, you see. Make anyone who stays this time to buy insurance like the rest of us. And if they can't rebuild the place on their own, give it up and move to a reasonable location.

We need a little common sense here.

[Bedford]

Actually, the historic area is the solid ground; it was the only solid ground the original inhabitants could find anywhere near there.

But yes, the residents of the city can go to heck.

[AJRC_CS]

I find it strange that Americans can be so heartless to other Americans. Has society become so morally bankrupt that people who need help are told to help themselves or move. Should we have told New York to go f*ck itself when it asked for help. I gave money to New York in the aftermath of 9/11 and i'm not even American, should i ask for my money back because New York should have paid for everything itself? Or is it that you can't get help if you're poor and black and from a blue state?

Help me out here, i'm finding it very hard to understand some peoples stance on the whole New Orleans thing.

[Bedford]

Basically, New Orleans brought it upon themselves, and it appears they haven't learned their lesson, as they re-elected Ray "School-Bus" Nagin (D).

If they insist on being stupid, I saw let's prove Darwin right.

[meadow]

it's very upsetting to read, AJRC. but it's not surprising. when the chips are down most people are willing to let the poor [read: non-white in most cases. ahem.] people go down for the count.

oh, and as for insurance...most mortgage companies only accept flood insurance if you live in an actual "flood plain". and in spite of some places flooding like crazy...if they aren't in a "flood plain"..they will REFUSE to give you insurance. period. same for hurricane insurance. most insurance companies will NOT explain to homeowner's that their Homeowner's Insurance DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY HURRICANES OR FLOODING. and that if you do not live in areas that are considered risky to those things...you can't just get it. anyone who says you can, is a total scam artist liar.

and that "renter's insurance" that people laud on about???

doesn't cover flooding or hurricanes either.

so there you go. unless everyone is willing to FORCE Big Insurance to quit caring only about the buck and care about their policyholders or potential policyholders...the insurance thing is just fluff and total BS!!!

[Bedford]

But an insurance company that doesn't care for the buck soon is out of business. That's the way it is.

[meadow]

i don't believe that. they are the most nefarious of businesses...they'll make BILLIONS on people before ever having to pony up a single cent. even now, TWO YEARS after Katrina there are people STILL living in trailers from FEMA. good, hardworking people with the RIGHT insurance and guess what?? those jerks still ain't paid a f'ing penny to these people.

spare me. they could pay out every single claim in spades and still have BILLIONS for the next 20 years.

[mdkilmer]

Please spare me all the bullshit. Nowhere did I say to not help the needy or to oppress the poor or the blacks. I said to move the goddamned city to solid ground where all those poor and needy can be safe from disasters like Katrina.

If you want to discuss an issue, fine. If you just want to wave your bleeding hearts in the air and show what a good, great, "I'm holier than you 'cause I care more", then keep deliberately misreading what I say. Try reading what I said again-- this time with your reality glasses on.

[brandtrn]

Forgive me for saying so, but I still get irked when I see postings about Katrina and the so-called "lack" of aid received...I know too many nurses from my own area who responded to the call for help, on their own time and at their own expense, who were treated miserably by the people they went down to "save." One nurse, in particular, was slapped by a refugee who bitched at him because he took "too long" to save her...go figure! One individual cannot account for the actions (or lack thereof) of one's government. It is a matter of interest that NONE of my acquaintances who participated in the rescue efforts would have done it again if he/she had the chance...The violence in that community, even towards those who were trying to rescue them, was scary enough...the New Orleans refugees have managed to "cure" several excellent nurses of my acquaintance from EVER wanting to help such people again, and that's a shame. Perhaps they should have let the entire city wash out to sea...

[AJRC_CS]

The actions of a few arseholes doesn't mean everyone in New Orleans was like that. I'm sure a lot of the people there were very grateful for the help they received, it's just a shame a few managed to make some people tar everyone in New Orleans with the same brush.

[meadow]

Marv: wasn't really talking about you, specifically, but okay. you assume all you like.

[ohlia]

What they ought to do is simply open all the levees and put New Orleans out of its misery. The city has flooded out 12? times since it was founded.

It's below sea level and built on a silt delta They should simply re-establish it a mile upriver on solid ground and quit spending all our money on rebuilding it.

Kilmer, maybe it should be use to cultivate rice.