1. World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC) and the International Environmental Commission
Technical Seminar
October 28, 2009
Westin Canal Place
COL Alvin “Al” Lee
New Orleans District Commander
US Army Corps of Engineers
BUILDING STRONG® 1

2. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
People:
▪ Corps wide - 34, ▪ Civil Works - 24, ▪ MVD - 5,000 45 45

3. New Orleans District’s MissionND MN MI WI IA IL IN KS MO KY OK AR AL TN LA TX
MINNEAPOLIS
ST. PAUL
DUBUQUE
ROCK ISLAND
ST. LOUIS
CAIRO
MEMPHIS
LITTLE ROCK
SHREVEPORT
VICKSBURG
JACKSON
BATON ROUGE
NEW ORLEANS MS
New Orleans District’s Mission
Provide comprehensive water resources management to include navigation, flood and hurricane storm damage risk reduction and environmental stewardship for South Louisiana to ensure public safety and benefit the nation. Be prepared to conduct contingency operations and support the national response framework.

4. Mississippi River & Tributaries Project (MR&T) Reduces Risk for approximately 4 million people
Miles of levee:
3,727 miles authorized
3,486 miles in place
Main stem levee system is 95.5%
complete
Flood Protection
• $12.9 billion invested for planning,
construction, operation and
maintenance, since 1928
• $353.6 billion in flood damages
prevented, since 1928
• 27 to 1 return on each dollar invested

5. the Louisiana Port Complex
The Mississippi River
&
the Louisiana Port Complex
In 2007, our port complex ranked #3 in total tonnage worldwide
In 2005, before Katrina, ranked #2 worldwide
PORT OF
BATON ROUGE
PORT OF
LAKE CHARLES
PORT OF SOUTH
LOUISIANA
MISSISSIPPI
PORT OF
NEW ORLEANS
GIWW
GIWW
RIVER
PORT OF
PLAQUEMINES
District Boundary
Gulf Intracoastal Waterway

6. “The Corps of Engineers manages the Mississippi River, but its resources have not been allocated.”
Mark Davis, Tulane Institute on Water
Resources Law & Policy

7. Consequences Arise from a Single Mission Approach
Implementation has been incremental
Navigation
Flood & Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction
Ecosystem Restoration
Focus on limited users for specific purposes
Sometimes to the exclusion of other users
Conflicts in water resource use are difficult to manage

8. Paradigm Shift Required: Integrated Systems Approach
Flood Damage Risk Reduction
Navigation
Ecosystem Restoration