Years After Katrina, Hurricane Protection For New Orleans Progresses

By Mariko Lamb, Talk Radio News Service

Brigadier General Michael Walsh, Commander of the Mississippi Valley Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, informed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee the goal of providing hurricane protection and coastal restoration in Louisiana is on track.

In his testimony, Walsh said, “the system is stronger and more resilient than prior to Katrina or any other time in history”.

Despite Walsh’s assurance of visible progress, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) argued that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had failed to properly focus on rebuilding the canal walls.

“We are choosing the wrong fix for the biggest thing that went wrong that caused catastrophic flooding in New Orleans,” said Vitter.

According to Walsh, closing off poorly-designed canal walls at the lake and artificially maintaining low water levels instead would be more effective than attempting to rebuild the walls.

Walsh and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are currently collaborating efforts with academic, industrial, architectural, and international partners in the area to establish a “reliable storm-surge risk reduction system to meet the needs of southeast Louisiana”. Walsh stated that it would be their number one priority.