Letter: Bad levees, not Katrina, flooded N.O.

Re: “Fired LSU professor releases emails in levee case,” The Advocate, Feb.18.

Is the article’s second paragraph, The Advocate’s official position on why New Orleans was damaged by flood? You reported:

“The damage was done by Hurricane Katrina, which hit the Louisiana-Mississippi Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, flooding wide areas of New Orleans.”

Did you know the official federal position by federal courts after years of studying testimony and tons of forensic engineering reports is that the flood never would have happened had it not been for gross engineering negligence by the federal levee design engineers?

Ivor van Heerden proved to be correct and LSU wrong in their official position that the flood was simply because of Katrina.

Is it coincidence LSU and The Advocate both promote this incorrect position? This fact is not hard to check.

Ray Broussard

technical writer

New Orleans

Comments

1) Comment by InPVille - 02/03/2013

Consider these tidbits. The levees around New Orleans were supposed to be constructed to withstand a level three hurricane. Katrina was a level five hurricane until just before landfall. Also the eye of the storm moved east just before landfall pushing the most potent storm surge into the state of Mississippi instead of directly into New Orleans. To top things off Congress only funded the reconstruction of the levees to the previous level three standards when it should be patently obvious that this is inadequate to ensure New Orleans will not be again flooded should another hurricane(this time either level four or five) hits the area and this time comes ashore with the eye just west of New Orleans and it receives the full storm surge and could be even worse should it happen at high tide as happened with hurricane Sandy last year.

2) Comment by InPVille - 01/03/2013

Blame the Corps. Give the local politicos a free pass. http://www.orleanslevee.com/ Mission Mission Statement The Orleans Levee District is dedicated to protecting the lives and property of the citizens of Orleans Parish by constructing, operating and maintaining the Mississippi River and Hurricane Protection Flood Control Systems and to providing safe and secure facilities for aviation, marine and recreational activities. VISION The Orleans Levee District is to be a proactive, public orientated, fiscally responsible, ethical and highly respected flood protection and service organization. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The Orleans Levee District (the District) was established by Act 93 of the 1890 General Assembly (Legislature) of the State of Louisiana. The District is primarily responsible for the operation and maintenance of levees, embankments, seawalls, jetties, breakwaters, water basins, and other hurricane and flood protection improvements surrounding the City of New Orleans, including the southern shores of Lake Pontchartrain and along the Mississippi River. The District is responsible for the maintenance of 104.8 miles of levees and floodwalls, 200 floodgates, 103 flood valves, and two flood control structures. To enhance flood protection, the District, and the United States Corps of Engineers (USACE), participate and cost share in several joint flood protection projects relative to the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity Hurricane Protection Plan (LPVHPP). Act 292 of the 1928 Louisiana Legislature authorized the District to dedicate, construct, operate, and maintain public parks, beaches, marinas, aviation fields, and other like facilities.

3) Comment by nimby? - 01/03/2013

the levee board at the time of Katrina consisted of Democrat political appointees with NO knowledge of their duties , they didn't even keep the grass cut . they were notorious for wasteful spending ...

4) Comment by SandySays - 01/03/2013

The AAUP reported that LSU had a "prevailing position" on the cause of New Orleans flood, namely that the flood was due to a natural disaster. The American Association of University Professors determined Ivor van Heerden had been let go because of his refusal to play along with the lie.

5) Comment by Hello Baton Rouge - 01/03/2013

Reality: Building a city below sea level, not bad levees, flooded N.O... I'm willing to bet you think guns are murders too, not the person holding them.

6) Comment by Bighug - 01/03/2013

It doesn't matter whether Ivor was right or wrong; he dissed the US Government. That could cause some vindictive bureaucrats to make it harder for LSU to get its share of our federal taxes. He wasn't the first professor to get fired for doing that, and probably not the first to profit from a settlement. It's the way this state does things, at least when we have governors like Jindal.