The levee in New Orleans is leaking - but it's not even raining!!!

[AZBlue]

I just want to cry.

Despite more than $22 million in repairs, a levee that broke with catastrophic effect during Hurricane Katrina is leaking again because of the mushy ground on which New Orleans was built, raising serious questions about the reliability of the city's flood defenses.

Outside engineering experts who have studied the project told The Associated Press that the type of seepage spotted at the 17th Street Canal in the Lakeview neighborhood afflicts other New Orleans levees, too, and could cause some of them to collapse during a storm.

Water is seeping under the levee.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24761789/

[LeftyMom]

1. They're surprised that seams in sheet metal aren't watertight?

:eyes:

Our levees here (and the general consensus is that if New Orleans is the most flood-vulnerable place in America, we're right behind) were upgraded a few years ago- filled in with a concrete-like mixture, so that they'd be less vulnerable to seepage. Seems to be working pretty well, though some areas need more repairs. Still, compared to what we got, driving some sheet metal into the ground sounds pretty f'n useless.

[Mojorabbit]

2. I dread

this years hurricane season.

[bookman]

3. Heck-ava job! n/t

[BayouBengal07]

4. Greeeaaaaat....

We're the richest country in the world, but I guess we have better things to do, like throw billions into that corrupt money hole that is Iraq.

[Hekate]

5. The Dutch have been doing dykes for centuries.You'd think someone in the US would have the brains...

...to ask the Dutch to send over some engineers and some blueprints.

But nooooo. We've got to continue our slide into Third World status unabated.

Hekate

:argh:

:cry:

[murielm99]

7. They offered to help after Katrina.

You know what happened to all those offers from help from overseas. Can't trust those furriners.

[superkia]

10. Third world status can be a great thing if you are the dictator or...

part of the wealthy and powerful, it gives you slaves to do whatever you tell them while you enjoy the good life. Its just a shame that 95% of our population will probably just let it happen without even giving a struggle, I don't think we have seen shit yet. When the shit hits the fan here, even if our soldiers wanted to help out, they couldn't because they are all stranded around the world.

[Occulus]

13. But the Dutch have nothing on American engineering!

:sarcasm:

(Oh, and the Dutch have been building dykes? Oh my gay stars!)

[pitohui]

16. the dutch did inspect the problem and said they had the technology

we should have availed ourselves of it

[Cresent City Kid]

6. I hope (in vain) that this will raise awareness

This is not a pork-barrel project, this is a life or death issue. Building and fixing our levees in a half-assed way is unacceptable. Like many things about New Orleans, the levees are something we had a chance to start from scratch. I feel the need to say something, but I'm flabergasted and speechless.

Imagine what we could have done with just half of what we spend on Iraq.

[rudy23]

8. They'll never do anything as long as the goal is to prove that government is inherently incapable

That's why they couldn't accept aid from foreign governments.

That's why they put a horse judge in charge of FEMA.

That's why they put Karl Rove in charge of recovery. (has everyone just forgotten about this?)

That's why they put gulf coast residents in toxic trailers.

That's why they're hoping another one comes right down the pike.

It'll be the perfect punchline to their eight year joke---government can't do anything right! (sad horn)

Get it?

[Hekate]

9. When they said they wanted to drown the federal govt in a bathtub, we didn't know they meant New Or-

-leans to be their demo project.

Hekate

[MountainLaurel]

11. The Shock Doctrine in action n/t

[cyberpj]

12. "Army Corp of Engineers repairs levee with newspapers?"

Army Corp of Engineers repairs levee with newspapers?
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Lee Zurik / WWL-TV News Anchor

snip-
“It's like putting a Band-Aid on the hole of a gas tank of an airplane,” the resident said.

Instead of an airplane, it's a floodwall, and instead of a Band-Aid, the witness says two years ago, he saw the contractor filling the expansion joint or opening between the floodwalls with newspaper.

“The whole length of the wall was stuffed with newspaper.”
And when he confronted the contractor, the contractor blamed Washington for the substandard work.

“He basically told me when Congress sent down the money, it would be repaired the proper way.”

But during a recent trip to the area, two years later, it was apparent that didn't happen. Much of the newspaper had deteriorated or been eaten by bugs, but some still remained.

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl042408tpleveepaper.98095b74.html

[AZBlue]

14. NO! You aren't kidding.

My first response was to ask if this was satire because, ha ha, of course it had to be.

This is like something on The Onion. It's unbelievable. I'm speechless - and that rarely happens. But I really can't think of words horrible enough to describe this.

[pitohui]

15. it's raining all right but be that as it may now you know why everyone hates the ACE

(army corps of engineers)

apparently there is a good $10 billion dollars that is still unspent on the levee repair...and it shows

it is raining tho, and we've had some crazy rain lately, including some localized flooding

it just never seems to end

[AuntPatsy]

18. I have a feeling that the ten billion is nothing more than a figure

on a piece of paper and not in fact worth the paper it is written on...comes as no suprise....

[AuntPatsy]

17. What more proof is needed that NO's in NOT a priority of this government

in ensuring the safety of it's citizens and sooner or later other cities will find out they are just as expendable when and if they find themselves in the same need as NO's.

[Hekate]

19. I think we all got that message from the get-go. I live in a vulnerable area and what I heard loud &

....clear was "You're on your own suckers, when the Big One hits."

Sometimes I hope he fries in that Hell he claims to believe in.

Hekate

[AuntPatsy]

20. I have heard far too many people here in Texas say back then that

those in NO's should be on their own and were unappreciative etc..I have always believed and still do that those thoughts are along the lines of prejudicial hidden views and love to tell them that if such a catastrophic even would happen to them they might not feel the same way if the government ignored their pleas for assistance and their president decided to go to a birthday party and play the guitar instead of doing everything he could to ensure help was made available, many stated they wouldn't need them but the reality is they more than likely would depending on the catastophry...

Sadly, the only way some people will wake up and realize how wrong what occurred in NO's was is when and if they themselves find themselves in the same boat so to speak, horrible pun....sometimes I find myself wishing these people do find themselves in a likewise position and I know that is catty but I despise people such as that that really have no idea what it means to need help and have to depend on others...

Sadly I don't believe in hell per say, I think we are already in it...and I am not sure it is all that kind of me to wish they get what they deserve because it makes me feel too much like them as I see them...it is a fine line that is so easy to cross when anger and outrage takes over compassion and forgiveness but like you I cannot help it, all those that so easily ignored the cries of our very own citizens in No's will one day be held accountable for their actions..can't help that no matter how I try, I do hope karma comes back to them...

[Baby Snooks]

21. Reality

The French respected the river. We didn't. Floods serve a purpose even if we don't like them. The French knew what flooded and what didn't and avoided building in areas that flooded. The Corps of Engineers has repeatedly altered the course of the river downstream as I recall which has contributed to part of the problem since no silt is deposited by the flooding. And they built canals. The French didn't envision Venice.

The real problem is the lake. New Orleans has subsided since the French established New Orleans. New Orleans is below lake level.

I love New Orleans. I hope someone can find a way to build a new levee system. The old one obviously is not going to be able to endure another severe hurricane. From what I understood at the time, it was the storm surge that entered into the lake that added pressure to the levees. Unless they are able to build a new levee system eventually the lake will just devour the city. My godparents who lived in New Orleans used to say that eventually it would. Apparently they may have been right. Although the city the French built will remain intact unless the termites get it although I understand that has been controlled now.

I would be very worried about this since obviously the levees aren't safe as everyone was told they were. Which explains why so many don't want to return. Once was enough. A friend was swept away when this levee broke. Believing everything was okay he went out to retrieve something from his car. And then he heard the roar and the next thing he knew he was being swept away. About all he remembers after that is tying a dead woman to a light pole. Not the type of memory anyone wants to return to. Particularly if the levees are still not safe.

I just want to cry too. And might.