Stemming the Flood

This article discusses measures being taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect New Orleans from future flood events. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is redesigning and upgrading the 350-mile network of linked levees, floodwalls, gates, and pumps in the New Orleans area. The Corps of Engineers’ plan for New Orleans flood control involves upgrading some existing structures such as levees and floodwalls and adding some new risk-reduction features, two of which are movable gates. The proposed Bayou Bienvenue Gate will sit near the junction of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet to keep floodwater away from the southern end of the Industrial Canal. The Seabrook Gate will span the northern end of the Industrial Canal where it meets Lake Pontchartrain. By preventing storm surges from entering the Industrial Canal, these gates will protect a densely populated residential and commercial area. However, the presence of the new gates will change day-to-day current patterns in ways that could impact existing structures and use.