Where Does New Orleans Belong? ( Part Two)
Levees.Org
Did you know that portions of most of America's largest cities lie on a floodplain? *
Actually, 39 of the 50 largest American cities lie partly on a floodplain! **
Historically that's because towns and cities developed on rivers to supply daily water needs and also for affordable transportation of commerce.
And in more recent times, the trend is for people to locate near rivers and coastal areas for recreational reasons and continues to be popular. ***
"But FEMA's flood plains might be different from God's floodplains," notes Ricardo Pineda, Chief Floodplain Management Branch, CA Dept of Water Resources, and Member SE Louisiana Flood Protection Authority - East.
"God does not recognize 100-year floods and some levees," says Pineda. "Bottom line, you need to look at the geologic or paleo history of the floodplain."
All of the following cities have portions in a floodplain according to the National Center for Earth Surface Dynamics (NCED):
Albuquerque, NMAtlanta, GA
Austin, TXBaltimore, MDBoston, MACharlotte, NCChicago, ILCleveland, OHColorado Springs, COColumbus, OHDallas, TXDenver, CODetroit, MIEl Paso, TXFresno, CAFort Worth, TX
Houston, TXIndianapolis, INJacksonville, FLKansas City, MOMemphis, TNMilwaukee, WIMinneapolis, MNNashville, TNNew Orleans, LANew York, NY
Omaha, NEOklahoma City, OKPhiladelphia, PAPortland, ORSacramento, CASan Antonio, TXSan Jose, CASeattle, WA
St. Louis, MOTulsa, OKVirginia Beach, VAWashington, DCWichita, KS
So the next time someone tells you that New Orleans should not be rebuilt if it's on a floodplain, you can say,
"Most major American cities lie on a flood plain and for very good reason!"
To find out why we should expect New Orleans and the region to have a bright and prosperous future, click here and watch the short video.
Sandy Rosenthal
Founder, Levees.orgwww.levees.org
Footnotes:
* See Chapter 1, U.S. Water Resources Council, "Estimated Flood Damages: Appendix B," Nationwide Analysis Report (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977); and Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force, Floodplain Management in the United States: An Assessment Report, doc. FIA-17/May 1992 (Washington, D.C.: Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1992)
** See website: http://www.nced.umn.edu/files/NCED_web_site_documents/Education/educator_resources/k12_resources/activities/floodplainactivity.pdf
*** See page 18 of http://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/ncls/docs/NCLS-Recommendation-Report_012009_DRAFT.pdf
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Click here to see more myth-busters about New Orleans and the region.
http://www.thekatrinamyth.org/
You can click here for a US Floodplains Map as defined by FEMA.http://www.co.yellowstone.mt.gov/des/floodplain/floodplainsus.gif
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Levees.Org is your source for information about levees and flood protection in New Orleans and nationwide.
