Levees.Org Second Annual Report Card
on the performance of the US Army Corps of Engineers
in previous 12 months

Presented Saturday August 25, 2007
Isidore Newman School, 1903 Jefferson Avenue, New Orleans
by: Sandy Rosenthal, Executive Director and
HJ Bosworth Jr, Reseach Director

Admitting past mistakes: D

The Corps-sponsored Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force (IPET) and the independent U of California report have documented the fundamental design and engineering flaws that led the catastrophic failures of the levees and floodwalls. But the Corps has given lame and disingenuous excuses and has mostly failed to take responsibility for their flood protection structure and system failures. Nothing has been done to address the organizational problems that brought about this disaster and led to the destruction of a major American city.

Truly independent peer review: D

The existing peer review continues to be internal within the Corps and/or using the Corps’ own contractors. This is not what is meant by independent review. We cannot afford the repetition of prior mistakes.

Transparency: C-

The Corps is sharing more information with the public. However, we await the day when a visit to a Corps website would list the major projects and status.

Treating flood protection as a system: B

The Corps has developed a computer model that now treats the flood protection as a system rather than as a series of projects. The model is being used to guide decisions and is providing citizens with much needed risk assessment. This is a major step forward. However, peer review of the model is needed and we cannot give an “A” grade until such review is permitted.

Interim protection Industrial Canal: F

The protection along the Industrial Canal and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is the true weak spot of the flood protection system for the East bank of New Orleans. The Corps plans to have 100 year protection completed in 2011. However, no significant steps have been taken to provide interim protection before that date. Time has been wasted. Interim gates have been proposed and can be built within 24 months. The city remains at risk. New Orleans cannot continue to risk major flooding until 2011 or beyond.