Will the Levees hold?

[malaise]

We watched Spike Lee's documentary again last night - stay safe NOLA DUers.

[Motown_Johnny]

1. Only time will tell, but this is a CAT 1, so with any luck

all will go well.

[edhopper]

19. Yes, but it is very slow

with a massive amount of rain. It's not about the winds.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. Only if Romney's don't gain too much weight in the ass.

Couldn't resist.

Seriously NOLA, be safe out there..................

[nolabear]

3. I'm pretty sure they will. Since Katrina some things have changed.

They have been reinforced and believe me, every inch has been examined, or so it's been reported. And last time another factor was the inadequate pumping stations and the panicked employees who ran for it rather than stay and keep them running. That's all in much better shape.

Hopefully it'll be a Cat2 at the most. New Orleans East is outside the levee system and is really low but with Katrina, that area blew away as much as flooded. It may see some damage.

Hurricanes are dangerous. But I think people are mighty sober after Katrina and there's more caution and less stupid. Some hurricane parties from that one ended in disaster.

[malaise]

4. I am hopeful that lessons have been learned

We'll see.

[HipChick]

6. There is still quite a lot that never got rebuilt from Katrina...a local man I was talking to

last week, was telling me...that many contractors were brought in to rebuild the city, and very little local labor was used...

His birthday is also on the anniversary of Katrina, however he no longer celebrates as he lost his mother,father and sister in Katrina..

[malaise]

7. Wow -that must be painful

[MzShellG]

5. Unlike Katrina, Isaac is a slow mover.....

So consider these factors: It will be over NOLA much longer. 12-18hrs after pretty much making landfall there. The winds will also affect NOLA much longer albeit weaker, but nearly 24hrs of rain will be a major issue. My prayers are with them.

[malaise]

15. I share your worries

[Drahthaardogs]

25. The levees will be fine.

I work a little bit with levees. The problem was not the structural integrity of the levees, the problem was with their height. When a levee overflows, the water starts to cascade off the levee and hit the bottom of the levee. It starts to erode the bottom away, and then the levee fails. Since Katrina, they have been made significantly taller.

[Oilwellian]

26. I guess...

you forgot about the reports on the New Orleans levee being stuffed with newspaper? There was so much corruption surrounding the New Orleans levee system, ( I know because I lived there for many years), one can only HOPE they've cleaned that fucking mess up and got serious about protecting New Orleans residents.

[Drahthaardogs]

27. Those were floodwalls

not levees. Two completely different things.

[spanone]

8. k&r...

[malaise]

21. Lots of overtopping but the levees are holding so far

Still this is worrying because this is a Cat1 hurricane.
More squalls on the way.

Looks like more folks without power than with power in NOLA.
http://www.wwltv.com/live-stream/exempt

[valerief]

9. Let's hope the 1%ers don't blow them up again. nt

[malaise]

10. Good point

My worry is the forecast of 17 inches of rain - this is a slow moving storm.

[greytdemocrat]

11. Still a TS at 8am...

And that's a good thing!!

[malaise]

14. Not for much longer

Check the pressure - 976

[greytdemocrat]

17. Yep...

Eye has finally formed.

[KharmaTrain]

12. Hopefully This Will Come in Handy...

The Lake Bourne Surge barrier...it wasn't there in 2005 and should prevent a large surge heading up the MRGO canal that destroyed the lower 9th.

Katrina was a hard-earned lesson and billions have been spend on the canals, pumping system and this barrier...here's hoping that Isaac moves quickly and remains a weak storm...

[malaise]

13. I hope so but Isaac is a very wide slow moving storm

[malaise]

16. Now moving at 6mph and the pressure is dropping big time - really bad news

This will be a hurricane at landfall

[HappyMe]

18. Officially became a hurricane during the noon news.

I hope all the new levees hold up.

Stay safe everybody.

[malaise]

20. Indeed Stay Safe Louisiana DUers

[malaise]

22. The old levees in Plaquemines Parish

did not hold. People are in their attics.

[HappyMe]

23. Oh no!

The president of that parish was just on Good Morning America. There is already extensive damage, and 17-24 hours of this hurricane yet to go.

[malaise]

24. And the rain will not be stopping for some time

Serious problems
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/29/hurricane-isaac-louisiana-levee-flood
<snip>
Low-lying areas in south-east Louisiana faced serious flooding on Wednesday as Hurricane Isaac began to slowly move inland and towards New Orleans.

After making landfall on Tuesday night in extreme south-eastern Louisiana, Isaac remained stationary for several hours, unleashing 80mph winds on a sparsely populated neck of land that stretches into the Gulf of Mexico. Early on Wednesday it started moving towards New Orleans at around eight miles an hour – exactly seven years after the city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Floodwater has already lapped over an 18-mile (29km) stretch of the levee along the Mississippi river in Plaquemines Parish, south-east of the city, threatening serious flooding.

There were reports of four-to-nine feet of water in the streets, houses flooded and perilous attempts to flee. Sheriffs' deputies made house-to-house visits looking for residents who had remained after an evacuation order.

[HappyMe]

28. The National Guard is

rescuing people right now.