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If Nola had same levee system today as pre-Katrina, would this have been bad as Katrina?

Posted on 8/30/21 at 2:58 pm
Posted by Smellslikeupdog
Member since Jul 2021
79 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 2:58 pm
I read that some pre Katrina levees had eroded to only stand 5 ft and now all levee/flood walls stand at least 15 ft.

Would this have been as bad as Katrina if Army Corp of Engineers didn’t make the upgrade?
This post was edited on 8/30/21 at 3:00 pm
Posted by LegendInMyMind
Member since Apr 2019
54305 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:00 pm to
I don't think so. Katrina was just moving a shite-ton more water than Ida.
Posted by soccerfüt
Location: A Series of Tubes
Member since May 2013
65701 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:01 pm to
quote:

I read that pre Katrina levees has eroded to only stand 5 ft and now all levee/flood walls stand at least 15 ft.
Zoolander’s School would have been right for you.



Posted by MSTiger33
Member since Oct 2007
20384 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:02 pm to
Possible. The water breeched the 17th street canal wall. It is my understanding that it had to do with the depth of the steel pillings not the height.
This post was edited on 8/30/21 at 3:03 pm
Posted by Alltheway Tigers!
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2004
7139 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:02 pm to


It is not the levees themselves. It was the years and years of neglect by various city, state and federal entities that lead to the levee breaks in Katrina. Especially city and levee boards that funneled money to thing but levee upkeep.

Posted by lsu777
Lake Charles
Member since Jan 2004
31178 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:03 pm to
frick no it wouldnt have been as bad. pre katrina they couldnt stop surge from backing up into the canels and now they can. also didnt have the "great wall" to protect st benard.

levee system still needs improvement in other areas, but NOLA will never flood again in our lifetime unless they get a 20-25 foot surge.
Posted by Big Gorilla
Bossier City
Member since Oct 2020
5455 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:03 pm to
Not an expert, but didn't this storm land some 100 miles west of Katrina, so this argument is difficult to make. Katrina was the worst possible landing spot for flooding. And it was a beast.

However, everyone I have talked too said the wind was a LOT more for Ida than Katrina.
Posted by lsu777
Lake Charles
Member since Jan 2004
31178 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:04 pm to
quote:

Possible. The water breeched the 17th street canal wall. It is my understanding that it had to do with the depth of the steel pillings not the height.




quote:

It is not the levees themselves. It was the years and years of neglect by various city, state and federal entities that lead to the levee breaks in Katrina. Especially city and levee boards that funneled money to thing but levee upkeep.



both true and industrial canal was hit by barge.

but in general if they fix the god damn barge issue should be fine going forward
Posted by Oilfieldbiology
Member since Nov 2016
37528 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:05 pm to
Isn’t this as bad as Katrina? No power for 3 weeks, no water for a week?

If Nola had the same levee system this would have made people forget katrina ?
Posted by lsu777
Lake Charles
Member since Jan 2004
31178 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:07 pm to
quote:

Not an expert, but didn't this storm land some 100 miles west of Katrina, so this argument is difficult to make. Katrina was the worst possible landing spot for flooding. And it was a beast.

However, everyone I have talked too said the wind was a LOT more for Ida than Katrina.



not really. worst case would be a storm coming at an angle along the coast at a NW angle hitting right at or below NOLA and the eye going directly over cause that would force all the water into lake borgne and lake p and possible overtop the "great wall" and flood st benard and then overtop the gates at the ends of the diverson canels and possibly breach the canal levees again.

all the levee build up though has the water going other places now. so worse for north shore and west like laplace.
Posted by Duke
Twin Lakes, CO
Member since Jan 2008
35628 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:08 pm to
No. I dont think so.

Two things:

1) Katrina was bringing about 2.4 the total energy of Ida using Total Integrated Kinetic Energy which accounts for size and strength of storm. So Katrina was pushing a lot more water with it.

2) Wind direction. Katrina stacked a bunch of water up into the Lake with those east winds and then as it passed the winds turned south and pushed the water at the city.

Posted by LegendInMyMind
Member since Apr 2019
54305 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:09 pm to
quote:

but NOLA will never flood again in our lifetime unless they get a 20-25 foot surge.

I would not go that far knowing the history of leadership in that city.
Posted by lsu777
Lake Charles
Member since Jan 2004
31178 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:09 pm to
quote:

If Nola had the same levee system this would have made people forget katrina ?


hard to say. surge with katrina was greater and different angles of approach.

think about it. laura had a 22' surge but it all went into eastern cameron to the point people didnt think it was as high as ike or rita when in fact it was worse.

same with katrina and ida, different angles of approach made the water different. plus ida might have been stronger wind wise but surge wise it was nothing compared to katrina.
Posted by lsu777
Lake Charles
Member since Jan 2004
31178 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:09 pm to
quote:

I would not go that far knowing the history of leadership in that city.



assuming they keep up with maintenance lol. i know big assumption.
Posted by The Spleen
Member since Dec 2010
38865 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:10 pm to
quote:

Isn’t this as bad as Katrina?


I haven't seen news clips of people with homemade signs on roofs, and helicopters doing rooftop rescues. Flooding doesn't seem like the major issue it was for Katrina. I went to bed with dread last night when I saw the power was out for the entire city, and that several pumps were down.
Posted by Ignignot
Member since Mar 2009
18823 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:11 pm to
Katrina was cat5/big storm for a much longer time

Thus it pushed much more water in than ida

Also Katrina had the worst possible angle being able to push tons of water into the borgne/ponchartrain watershed
Posted by lsu777
Lake Charles
Member since Jan 2004
31178 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:11 pm to
quote:

2) Wind direction. Katrina stacked a bunch of water up into the Lake with those east winds and then as it passed the winds turned south and pushed the water at the city.


yep almost worse case. only thing worse would be at the angle i talked about on a very slow moving storm pushing same kind of surge that katrina did.
Posted by MMauler
Member since Jun 2013
19216 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:14 pm to
We'll never know. This wasn't a REAL test. From reports, the storm surge was about 10 feet. Katrina was over 30 feet. Even Camille was only about 20 feet.

If a hurricane followed the path of Ida and had a 30 foot storm surge, the damage would have been 10x's time worse -- regardless of whether the levees held up. If the levees did not, then you're talking worse than Katrina.
Posted by lsu777
Lake Charles
Member since Jan 2004
31178 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:20 pm to
ftr only isabella and "superstorm snady" had higher Total Integrated Kinetic Energy than katrina. Camille was much lower, lower than ike and rita.

not sure where laura ranks as i couldnt find it. but i know 18' storm surge was verified but as compact as luara was I would not expect it to rank very high.
Posted by upgrade
Member since Jul 2011
13034 posts
Posted on 8/30/21 at 3:28 pm to
quote:

Isn’t this as bad as Katrina? No power for 3 weeks, no water for a week?


I’m gonna say not by a mile. Right now they have no power, but they weren’t flooded by a wall of water. That’s 1000x better.
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