Take the Levee Challenge!

Friday, August 14th, 2015

The home at 6926 Bellaire Drive near the site of the 17th Street Canal breach. Photo/Roy Arrigo

The home at 6926 Bellaire Drive near the site of the 17th Street Canal breach. Photo/Roy Arrigo

In keeping with our mission of education, we have released the Levee Challenge.

The 10-question little quiz is designed to help folks understand why the New Orleans area flooded a decade ago.

It’s intended to answer any lingering questions and separate facts from fairy tales.

The role of the Army Corps of Engineers, the organization that often has hidden behind the talk of Hurricane Katrina’s water and wind, is flushed out.

The majority of the questions and answers were peer reviewed by four independent academic reviewers with Water Policy, the official journal of the World Water Council.

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Details continue to emerge about the New Orleans flooding during Katrina

Tuesday, August 11th, 2015

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Anthony Bertucci calls in the status of the floodwall at London Avenue Canal’s upper breach near Robert E. Lee Boulevard. Bertucci is from New Orleans District’s Construction Division.

USACE’s Anthony Bertucci calls in the status of the floodwall at London Avenue Canal’s west breach near Robert E. Lee Blvd. Bertucci is from New Orleans District’s Construction Division.

New details continue to emerge about why New Orleans flooded so horrifically during Hurricane Katrina.

A carefully researched story by Pulitzer prize winner Mark Schleifstein describes how immediately after the flooding event, independent levee investigators were told incorrect information by “various members of the corps New Orleans district.”

For example, Drs. Raymond Seed and J. David Rogers–the lead investigators for a study funded by the National Science Foundation–were told that the design of the 17th Street and London Avenue Canals was “forced” on the Army Corps of Engineers against their will.

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Levees.org’s founder selected one of ten “Heroes of the Recovery”

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015
Sandy Rosenthal Photo/Greg Miles

Sandy Rosenthal Photo/Greg Miles

The August issue of New Orleans Magazine has highlighted the work of ten people who have taken charge and led citizens in the recovery of New Orleans.

Levees.org is pleased that the editors have selected founder Sandy Rosenthal for this honor.

The introduction below is by Laura Claverie.

“It is often said that in the darkest of times heroes emerge. Through wars, economic downturns and natural disasters, Americans have learned this harsh lesson well. No city knows more about dark times and the heroes that are spawned than New Orleans. Every person who came home after the Hurricane Katrina diaspora and rolled up his or her sleeves and rebuilt this city is a hero. Every family member who cared for evacuees is a hero.

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