the river, the levies, and the future of new orleans
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The River, the Levies, and the Future of New Orleans. Ken Tabbutt April 14, 2006. Reconstructing New Orleans: Class, Race and the Ownership Society. Natural Earth Cycles. James Hutton (1726 – 1797). National Galleries of Scotland. “The Present is the Key to the Past”. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The River, the Levies, and the Future of New Orleans
Ken TabbuttApril 14, 2006
Reconstructing New Orleans: Class, Race and the Ownership
Society
Natural Earth Cycles
James Hutton (1726 – 1797)
“The Present is the Key to the Past”
National Galleries of Scotland
Natural Geologic (and Atmospheric) Processes
•Earthquakes
•Tsunami
•Volcanic Eruptions
•Floods
•Hurricanes
•Sedimentation
•Subsidence and Uplift
•Meteorite Impacts
•Climate Change
Shake Map of Nisqually Earthquake 2/01
Flood Events (Rivers)
United States Geologic Survey
HydrographMississippi River, Baton Rouge
United States Geologic Survey
Discharge Rating Curve
Fetter, C. W., 1994, Applied Hydrogeology: Prentice Hall.
HydrographMississippi River, Baton Rouge
United States Geologic Survey
Discharge Exceedance Probability
Flooding
Natural Disasters or Hazards
River Flooding Hazard
Lower Mississippi RiverCairo, Illinois - Mouth
New Orleans
Natural (and unnatural) Processes
• Subsidence
• Flooding
• Hurricanes
• Sea Level
Rise
Image obtained from NASA
Natural (and unnatural) Processes
• Subsidence
• Flooding
• Hurricanes
• Sea Level
Rise
Image obtained from NASA
Subsidence
• Natural gradual subsidence of the Gulf Coast Basin and the Mississippi delta sediments (compaction and tectonic)
• Resource extraction (gasand oil)
• Lack of sediment supply
Natural (and unnatural) Processes
• Subsidence
• Flooding
• Hurricanes
• Sea Level
Rise
Image obtained from NASA
Flooding
New Orleans Levees
Natural (and unnatural) Processes
• Subsidence
• Flooding
• Hurricanes
• Sea Level
Rise
Image obtained from NASA
Hurricane Katrina
Natural (and unnatural) Processes
• Subsidence
• Flooding
• Hurricanes
• Sea Level
Rise
Image obtained from NASA
Sea Level Rise
Sea Water Temperature
Mitigation
New Orleans, Louisiana FEMA floodmap
Mitigation• Engineered Solutions
Flood Control
Channelization
Floodproofing
• Social Solutions
Remove Structures
Zoning
Warning Systems
Flood Insurance (spread the cost)
• Society must understand the spatial and temporal impact of these processes in order to avoid potential hazards.
• We must weigh the long-term costs associated with these natural cycles.
• We must understand how anthropogenic practices can change the spatial and temporal nature of these cycles.
• We must understand they are dynamic systems.