The Federal Government should rebuild the levees in New Orleans

LONDON, ENGLAND Pop: 7,421,000
London has been at risk for centuries--storm surges from the North Sea can swell the Thames Estuary and engulf the city. In 1953, a storm hit London during high tide, killing more than 300. Since then, the city has continued to sink on its clay foundations. (In fact, all of Britain is tilting toward the southeast by 2 ft. per century.)
DEFENSES: The Thames Barrier, a set of 10 steel-plated gates 65 ft. tall.
FORECAST: The barrier is secure, but with rising sea levels, storm surges will likely overtake the gates within 30 years.



http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/technology_watch/1829867.html



The Oosterscheldedam (Netherlands)

The crown on this giant flood-control project is the barrier dam that stretches 1.75 miles across the three channels of the Eastern Schelde. This dam consists of several strings of gates and their massive supporting pylons which, in normal weather, allow tidal sea waters to ebb and flow in the Eastern Schelde estuary, thus benefiting the fish and bird life and the local fisheries, even in the national park "The Biesbosch" part of the tide exist. During a severe storm however, like the one in 1953, the gates can be dropped to keep out the high tides and storm surges and prevent them from inundating the adjacent lowlands.


The Oosterscheldedam (repeat after me: Ooster-schelde-dam) where the Delta Expo is located, on one of the two artificial islands. The construction of the dam started in 1976, was achieved ten years later. Three kilometers long, this anti-tempest dam is constituted of 65 pillars between which one can slide 62 iron flood-gates. The height of one pillar is 38 meter and its weight 18.000 tons. When the sea becomes dangerous, one hour is enough to lower the flood gates. This system affords to keep 75% of the tide amplitude as well as the fishing industry, the breed of mussels and oysters and above all, the unique eco-system of The Biesbosch. To be complete, the site is powered by (guess what?)... air motors worthy of their windmill? too!

http://www.geerts.com/holland/holland-modern.htm