New Orleans' Water Problem Daytona Gerhardy, Period 5

How much of new orleans is below sea level? The city is, on average, about 6 ft below sea level.

Why is this? Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain – "bowl effect" Wetlands and barrier islands Human interference

Damages caused by Hurricane Katrina

The Netherlands had the same problem 1/3 of the Netherlands is below sea level. Before the 19th century, much of the Netherlands was flooded.

Definitions Polder: Area of land reclaimed from the sea by the use of dikes Dike: Long walls that prevent flooding

This is what they did In 1918, the Zuider Zee project was started. A shallow bay that covered almost 2,000 sq miles was both a major resource for fishing and trade, however, dikes would become damaged, and the Zuider Zee would drown hundreds to thousands of people. It killed 10,000 people in 1421.

Creating land & the Delta Works The Dutch started to use polders to create new land before the Zuider Zee project was even finished. Polders reduced uncontrollable flooding, and helped to sustain the nearby agriculture. After the Zuider Zee project, they used dams to shorten the coastline in 1950. These projects were called the Delta Works. These plans helped limit flooding. They're open to preserve the surrounding environment, and can be closed easily to help protect against any storm surges that come through.

This is what I propose the U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS do

Resources "The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography," James M. Rubenstein, pg. 7 & 36 http://www.unmuseum.org/7wonders/zunderzee.htm http://www.usace.army.mil/Portals/2/docs/civilworks/annual_report/fy08/fy09anrep_mvd.pdf https://people.uwec.edu/jolhm/eh3/group7/WhyNOVulnerable.htm http://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-page/the-netherlands/the-dutch-and-water-in-the-netherlands http://www.satelliteviews.net/cgi-bin/w.cgi/?c=nl&DG=DIKE http://www.satelliteviews.net/cgi-bin/w.cgi/?c=nl&DG=PLDR