Plugging The Levee

Dragoon68 · Sep 2, 2005

Here's some information to provide some prespective into what's actually being done to try to get the levees plugged around New Orleans.

Extract from Comments by LTG Carl Strock, Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on 2 Sep 2005:
The challenge we faced was that we had two breaches in the levees on the Lake Pontchartrain side. These levees were at 17th Street and at the London Avenue Canal. The greatest challenge here, I suppose, was trying to understand the nature of the problem we faced, because like everyone, we had evacuated the city, and it was only after the storm had passed that we began to get out and assess what was going on. And even then, as you understand, communications and access were very difficult. So even getting to the site and understanding what we face was a challenge for us.

And then after understanding and setting a plan in foot -- and by the way, we do have a plan on the shelf in anticipation of this -- mobilizing the equipment, the people and material to go out and address the problem was also a challenge, because the site was essentially completely surrounded by water.

The approach we took was threefold:

First, to try to gain access in the land. So we're working with the city, with FEMA and other agencies to move construction equipment to the site by building causeways from dry land out to the site of the breach.

The second is to work from the water. Access to the area by water is also difficult, because while they have bridges across these canals where the breaches are located, those bridges cannot be lifted. They're out of service because they don't have power. So we couldn't get direct water access to the breach point. And so our solution, then, was to try to seal off the mouth of the canal where it empties into the lake. And that is going on now, very good progress. And I haven't heard most recently, but we anticipated by about now we should see the 17th Street canal crossing pretty well closed by a sheet pile wall, and the London Avenue canal -- should start work about now, to close that canal down.

Those are not critical right now, because I've said that the lake levels have steadied. But we are concerned. As we look down the line here, we see storms forming up in the Atlantic. We want to make sure that we don't catch ourselves with levees open and another storm front moving on us. So we're going to go ahead and proceed to close those canals, although that's not vital to our recovery effort at the moment. Once those canals are closed, we will then begin to actually work the levees.

The third element is an aerial approach, and you've seen, I think, some of that activity going on. This too represented a challenge, because we have very limited aviation assets. And rotary wing is really what we need to put material into these breaches. And that's the very asset we need to do search-and-rescue and save victims.

So our efforts became something of a second priority, and our initial plan was delayed a bit because of that. And in fact, that's not unreasonable, because while water's flowing, our ability to stop it is even more difficult. But now that it's stabilized, the aerial method is going in. And I unfortunately don't have any direct status for you on that, but that is occurring right now.

Under this, we're dropping essentially sandbags in. We started out with 300-pound sandbags, and we have the ability to do 2,000 and larger bags. And we have a sufficient quantity of those on hand to get this done.

So all three of those things are working, and whatever works first is the way we're going to go.
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Let's give these guys some credit for doing a lot of hard work under adverse conditions.

NaasPreacher (C4K) · Sep 2, 2005

Hmm, I wonder how quickly flood waters would be stopped in DC in case of a Cat4 hurricance hitting the city and flooding the known flood plain on which the city is built. Do you think it would take four days?

I place NO blame on the courageous workers, none. The blame goes higher up.

poncho · Sep 2, 2005

Indeed they deserve it Dragoon.

OldRegular · Sep 2, 2005

Originally posted by C4K:
Hmm, I wonder how quickly flood waters would be stopped in DC in case of a Cat4 hurricance hitting the city and flooding the known flood plain on which the city is built. Do you think it would take four days?

I place NO blame on the courageous workers, none. The blame goes higher up.
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There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum! There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum! There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum! Is 3 times enough Mr. moderator or must I do more? I am getting better.

OldRegular · Sep 2, 2005

Originally posted by C4K:
Hmm, I wonder how quickly flood waters would be stopped in DC in case of a Cat4 hurricance hitting the city and flooding the known flood plain on which the city is built. Do you think it would take four days?

I place NO blame on the courageous workers, none. The blame goes higher up.
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By the way DC is not below sea level just in case you have been out of the country too long.

Dragoon68 · Sep 2, 2005

Originally posted by C4K:
Hmm, I wonder how quickly flood waters would be stopped in DC in case of a Cat4 hurricance hitting the city and flooding the known flood plain on which the city is built. Do you think it would take four days?

I place NO blame on the courageous workers, none. The blame goes higher up.
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Is that four days to pump it dry or four days to flood it?

Don't make me start using those "media" words!

carpro · Sep 2, 2005

Originally posted by C4K:
Hmm, I wonder how quickly flood waters would be stopped in DC in case of a Cat4 hurricance hitting the city and flooding the known flood plain on which the city is built. Do you think it would take four days?

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Depends on how good a plan they have in effect and how good the people are that implement it It also depends on how much of the surrounding area was destroyed or flooded.

It could very well take 4 days to get the National Guard on the ground if they had to come from hundreds of miles away and all the airports in the DC area were flooded.

NaasPreacher (C4K) · Sep 3, 2005

Originally posted by OldRegular:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by C4K:
Hmm, I wonder how quickly flood waters would be stopped in DC in case of a Cat4 hurricance hitting the city and flooding the known flood plain on which the city is built. Do you think it would take four days?

I place NO blame on the courageous workers, none. The blame goes higher up.
Click to expand...

There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum! There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum! There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum! Is 3 times enough Mr. moderator or must I do more? I am getting better. [/QUOTE]You still don't understand how it is possible to be critical without hatred, do you?

NaasPreacher (C4K) · Sep 3, 2005

Originally posted by carpro:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by C4K:
Hmm, I wonder how quickly flood waters would be stopped in DC in case of a Cat4 hurricance hitting the city and flooding the known flood plain on which the city is built. Do you think it would take four days?

Click to expand...

Depends on how good a plan they have in effect and how good the people are that implement it It also depends on how much of the surrounding area was destroyed or flooded.

It could very well take 4 days to get the National Guard on the ground if they had to come from hundreds of miles away and all the airports in the DC area were flooded. [/QUOTE]You really think it would take four days to get the National Guard to DC? I realise it is above sea level, but it is still reclaimed swamp land which flooded regularly until the land was built up in the early 19th century. A Cat4 storm would have a huge affect of DC.

OldRegular · Sep 3, 2005

Originally posted by C4K:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by OldRegular:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by C4K:
Hmm, I wonder how quickly flood waters would be stopped in DC in case of a Cat4 hurricance hitting the city and flooding the known flood plain on which the city is built. Do you think it would take four days?

I place NO blame on the courageous workers, none. The blame goes higher up.
Click to expand...

There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum! There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum! There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum! Is 3 times enough Mr. moderator or must I do more? I am getting better. [/QUOTE]You still don't understand how it is possible to be critical without hatred, do you? [/QUOTE]All I did was 3 penances and ask a question. Must I do more?

El_Guero · Sep 4, 2005

The just need about a million of those big sand bags dropped all over the city ...

but, I doubt that would be approved

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