Would it be smarter to turn New Orleans into Venice Italy? (Metairie: credit, home)

[IloveNOLA]

Originally Posted by GBee

If they did that, only the French Quarter area would be dry.

It would be more than just the French Quarter dry. Something like half of the city land is at or above sea level.

[bproven]

The real problem is that parts of New Orleans should never have been built on in the first place - these are the places that flooded badly in Katrina and will continue to flood (and sink as others have pointed out). These are also the places that have yet to "recover". I lived in the NO area most of my life and you don't realize that many areas are really asking for trouble regarding flooding. I guess it was poor planning way back when we thought we could tame nature. Anyhow that is the real problem regarding the flooding issues. As others have pointed out there are many parts of New Orleans that are not as flood prone (unless the MS river levee breaks) these include downtown, French Quarter, etc which happen to be the ones that did OK in Katrina. Now regarding the economy, crime, politics, etc that is a whole other issue...

[jdw123]

Originally Posted by SunnyKayak

I was watching of course some post Katrina special on TV and of course as usual it always about the problems and not the solutions.

So I was thinking wow New Orleans almost sounds like Venice with all the canals and topography in relation to all the lakes, river and ocean nearby why spend this money on flood walls but instead let the water in and build around it. The whole city doesnt have to be underwater but maybe the areas that are struggling to revive.

It would put a new meaning to New Orleans and be the most romantic city in the usa with all the tourist coming in wanting to ride gondolas

It would be smarter to bulldoze the whole city and turn it into a landfill. It wouldn't take much work since most people already consider it a dump.

[imaterry78259]

New Orleans is the Paris of America

[unpinut]

Originally Posted by CiCi23

I live in Louisiana. I was not trying to be humurous with my comment that I may towards the orginal whom posted this question. If you think about it the city will be under water in years to come due to it being below sea level, scientist say it will be gone. This city can't even keep their deceased under water, they float to the top when it rains..It seems logical to rebuild in a way that would adapt tp the land and people so theat they may be safer and less destroyed God forbid if somethinglike that happend again!!!

New-Orleans is NOT under SEA level, only under the artificial RIVER level.
Do you need a proof ?
Put the river back to its natural level, please

[unpinut]

who says to FLOOD NOLA ? The city of Amsterdam is for most parts under SEA level, while NOLA is below RIVER level.
Recreating marshes and creating raised islands and canals decreases the risk of flooding.

[CamaroGuy]

Originally Posted by imaterry78259

New Orleans is the Paris of America

The title "Paris of America" belongs to San Francisco!!!

[Vampgrrl]

Actually it belonged to Detroit originally...Detroit is originally French anyhow.

New Orleans is the most European City in the United States...altho it's really Carribean/African/European.

And it's a great place.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Vampgrrl

Actually it belonged to Detroit originally...Detroit is originally French anyhow.

En Français: Détroit--strait.

[MissCookieMoses]

Originally Posted by unpinut

who says to FLOOD NOLA ? The city of Amsterdam is for most parts under SEA level, while NOLA is below RIVER level.
Recreating marshes and creating raised islands and canals decreases the risk of flooding.

I'm not so sure. Every map of the Greater New Orleans' elevation shows the river being higher than everything with about 10%-20% of the land is at sea level, and less than 20% is above. The majority of the whole are all the way down through Plaquemines is a flood basin and is significantly below sea level.

Hurricanes cause sea level rise, hence flooding in areas at or above sea level. The whole city is sinking, some parts just faster than other.