Reply #4: Check Out Nova...PBS-TV [View All]

An excellent program on what happened...and sadly, what didn't happen and appears not to be happening.

It appears the canal issue is two-fold. The lower 9th flooding and that that came in off the Shipping Canal was caused by the storm surge coming up the Intercoastal Canal...a 15 or higher foot wall of water that overtopped that levee. A storm gate and restoring the watershed and delta wetlands could curtail any future surge of that size. Had the surge been half, a good chance that canal could have held.

The other issue were the 17th street and London canals. Those didn't take anywhere near the surge and appears to have failed due to aging and other construction problems. Those canals will have to be rebuilt and with higher and deeper walls to ensure their integrity.

Bottom line is that Katrina could have been prevented, but it ran so much against too many interests...this catastrophe, sadly, was one asking to happen...almost like a self-fulfilled prophecy.

The problem here is not what to rebuild or why, but are the people put the economic interests of that area supreme to that of the people living there. The system will be rebuilt...there's too much money involved here to just abandon one of the largest ports in the country...it's now how safe the people who live on the sides of those canals will be, and how valuable it is to all involved.