![House middle of street](https://levees.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/House-middle-of-street-300x229.jpg)
Aerial view of London Avenue levee breach site. Note home in middle of Warrington Drive at upper left hand corner.
A new essay by Chris Edwards just released by the Cato Institute examines the Army Corps of Engineers’ competence in building infrastructure for civilian purposes noting that the agency which employs about 23,000 people will spend about $9.2 billion in fiscal 2012.
The essay concludes most of the Army Corps’ activities do not need to be carried out by the federal government. Some of its activities—such as flood control and the management of recreational areas—should be turned over to state and local governments. Other activities—such as seaport dredging and hydropower generation—should be turned over to the private sector.
We note with appreciation that the essay contains a well written analysis of the Army Corps of Engineers’ role in the flooding of regional New Orleans during Katrina.