State Of Louisiana Sinking?

[houstonsemipro]

By Dahleen Glanton Tribune national correspondent

At the end of a two-lane road, surrounded by water and patches of grassy marsh, an old American Indian village dangles near the edge of the Earth.

All around it the land is sinking, pushing the tiny coastal community toward the Gulf of Mexico. Still, many of the 250 people who live here--all descendants of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Indians who settled the land in the 1800s--refuse to leave, despite an offer by the U.S. government to find them new homes.

*** Edited to remove copyrighted content***

[LTAWACS]

I guess they want to learn the hard way/

[Gary]

My Father in law is a director for FEMA and has helped outline a potential plan for the city of New Orleans in regads to it's sinking. He explained to me that it's only a matter of time before a huge catastrophe (Hurricane) hits NO.

They actually have the predictions on a map of a catagory 4 hurricane hitting NO and it looked unbelievable. He explained that it will be very similar to what happened to Galveston island during the great 1900 storm. It will actually flood from the North side of the city because of tidal surges moving into Lake Ponchatrain plus obviously flood from the South leaving the city under water. This will trap over two hundred thousand people.

The plan he helped outline is unbelievably massive and from what he told me will never happen, thus leaving the door open to something horrible.

[houstonsemipro]

Here is the link to the article.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...away1isledigsin

[kjb434]

New Orleans and South Louisiana are sinking just as much as many parts of Houston. They are sinking for different reasons, but both sinking.

New Orleans is in the same situation at Amsterdam. The big difference is that New Orleans gets huricanes threatening.

It's a matter of time, but I don't think the city will be completely destroyed. Miami is still around after Andrew.

Galveston still exists with historic buildings.

[westguy]

What's Houston's reason? Subsidence?

[kjb434]

Subsidence is the main reason. A large part of the area depends on groundwater instead of surface water for potable water sources. Masterplans are in place and over the next 30 years the portions of the region on ground water will switch to surface water. It's not an easy task since miles of new water mains need to be constructed. Also, when the project completes, you should see the Lake Houston water surface drop a little from increase demand. Luckily we have a high enough rainfall amounts to replenish the lake unlike Austin and San Antonio.

[Guest Professional Hornblower]

By Dahleen Glanton Tribune national correspondent

At the end of a two-lane road, surrounded by water and patches of grassy marsh, an old American Indian village dangles near the edge of the Earth.

 

All around it the land is sinking, pushing the tiny coastal community toward the Gulf of Mexico. Still, many of the 250 people who live here--all descendants of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Indians who settled the land in the 1800s--refuse to leave, despite an offer by the U.S. government to find them new homes.

*** Edited to remove copyrighted content***

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How is Lousiana sinking I'm pretty sure Arkansas and Mississippi SUCK all the time.

[houstonsemipro]

Well, Houston is doing the flood plan now. Houston on the right track. I'm just sad to hear this about Louisiana, and the government is ignoring them.

[kjb434]

Hey guys its not that bad. This happens to any land that is coastal marshland.

You really can't do anything to stop it. Sinking does not mean it'll be under 10 feet of water one day. Erosion of marshland on the coast is classified as sinking.

As for government help, Louisiana gets millions of dollars a year to assist in wetlands revitalization efforts and the Army Corps of Engineers also spends money on flood control efforts. As for floodplains, south of Lake Ponchartrain and pretty much south of I-10 from Texas to Baton Rouge floodplains don't really exist. Most livable land is under the protection of levee systems. The protection from flooding is as good as the levee. It is one of the reasons Louisisana didn't experience the flooding during the 1993 floods that hit the midwest along the Mississippi. Louisiana also has hundreds of thousands of acres around the southern portion of the state designated as spillway areas that is under control by the Army Corps of Engineers. These areas can be flooded to take pressure off the levee systems and also provides tons of land for wildlife (great hunting and fishing).

All of the large regional detention facilities around Houston are like miniature spillways. Houston's lucky is doesn't have to handle the volumes of water from 2/3 of the continental US coming through.

These stories have been around for years and everytime they come out it is really nothing new. New Orleans has been sinking ever since it was leveed off. It actually was sinking before that too. I wouldn't expect a Venice, Italy scenario. More like an Amsterdam scenario where the sinking is in check with the levee system. Also, based on soil conditions, there is a point where the sinking will stop. Geologist and engineers make make rough predictions, but soil in non-homogenous and the variations make predictions hard to stand by.

Also, when the land sinks or subsides, flooding does not necessarily get worse. Technically the flood elevations move down with the land. If the 100-year flood was at elevation 50 and the land sinks one foot, then the flood elevation is now 49. This the official stance of FEMA for years and was shown in the TSARP studies for Harris County to be a reality. There is even a little diagram in the FIS books issued by FEMA for participating communities.

Oh, and as for Arkansas and Mississippi sucking all the time. I wish people would make these ridiculous statements base on stereotypes. If you been to either of these states and actually went into there larger cities you would see they break their stereotypes. Jaskson, Mississippi has a thriving arts scene and gay community with museums, clubs and an improving urban downtown core. Little Rock, Arkansas is right up there with them. Please don't be so immature in the future about making broad statements like this.

[Lowbrow]

Also, when the land sinks or subsides, flooding does not necessarily get worse.  Technically the flood elevations move down with the land.  If the 100-year flood was at elevation 50 and the land sinks one foot, then the flood elevation is now 49.  This the official stance of FEMA for years and was shown in the TSARP studies for Harris County to be a reality.  There is even a little diagram in the FIS books issued by FEMA for participating communities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very good point. Do you know what the impact is of storm surge from an offshore storm? Not the same from onshore I'm assuming. When they say its 20' above MSL, how does that effect inland where your elevation 50 is now 49?

[kjb434]

Storm surges are classified in a different manner than stream flooding. A subsidence along the coast will get a potentially worst effect than inland. And when I say along the coast I mean about up to a quarter mile inland around the Houston area. In Louisiana it depends. In my home parish of Lafourche, a Huricane protection levee of 15' is in place for over 97% of the population to protect against storm surges or extremely high tides. Gates are used for ships to get in and out. If you live ouside the levee, you cannot qualify for flood insurance unless you construct the house above the levee elevation. This is why so many houses are built 15 feet above the ground outside of the levee. Many homes survive tropical storms and Huricanes such as Andrew because of this. Some area are not as proactive. My home parish did the levee system themselves because it was vital not only for the protection of residents, but also for the economy.

The area where the article disscusses doesn't have protection. The houses can be built up though. The residents should know the risks before living there. If they are already their, they need to learn about the land they are on and how to protect themselves.

The state government is on top of releasing this information so citizens know of the risks.

The big thing about storm surges is that they are like mini-tsunamis. The force is not as strong as a tsunami. If you are not right on the coast, its more like just rising water. If you are on the beach, its larger waves that after they break on the beach they don't recede. Every new wave just pushes the water more inland and higher. The only inhabitated barrier island in Louisiana (a miniature galvest, real miniature) has also a 15' levee to protect from storm surges. This doesn't mean the water won't rise around the levee, it just protects from the quick rise from the surge.

To see how a storm surge affects the bay areas of Harris County, go to TSARP.ORG and click on products. They'll have a bunch pdf maps and FIRM panels. The ones for the bay areas will show the classification.

[Guest Professional Hornblower]

Jaskson, Mississippi has a thriving arts scene and gay community with museums, clubs and an improving urban downtown core.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excuse me, sir? What does "Gay" have to do with anything? I'm really disappointed in people who use this term as some sort of qualifying factor, whether intended to be good or bad.

Knock it off. It's completely insensitive to both heterosexuals, as well as those of us who explore alternative lifestyles.

-The man who blows horns.

[kjb434]

I was merely showing that Mississippi and Arkansas are not as backward as many people believe. I didn't intend the use of the word gay as a qualifying factor. What I did use it for was to show that tolerance exist in places many people don't expect. I'm also gay, have a partner of 3 years and went to college near these two states in north Louisiana. I have visited both states a lot during my college years and learn a lot about them in the rural and urban areas. I was offering an opinion. I'm sorry if you are offended. No wait, I shouldn't be. It's not my place to ensure no one's feelings or sensibilities are effected by my opinions. As long as my opinions are what I believe, that I can stand by them, and they don't project hatred.

[uncertaintraveler]

Knock it off.  It's completely insensitive to both heterosexuals, as well as those of us who explore alternative lifestyles.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just an observation: For someone who has a recent history of posting some pretty inflammatory stuff towards others, you appear to get offended mighty easily over some relatively trival matters.

[Guest Professional Hornblower]

I was merely showing that Mississippi and Arkansas are not as backward as many people believe.  I didn't intend the use of the word gay as a qualifying factor.  What I did use it for was to show that tolerance exist in places many people don't expect.  I'm also gay, have a partner of 3 years and went to college near these two states in north Louisiana.  I have visited both states a lot during my college years and learn a lot about them in the rural and urban areas.  I was offering an opinion.  I'm sorry if you are offended.  No wait, I shouldn't be.  It's not my place to ensure no one's feelings or sensibilities are effected by my opinions.  As long as my opinions are what I believe, that I can stand by them, and they don't project hatred.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't have a problem with it. The Mississippi/ Arkansas thing was just a silly joke- I wasn't intended to be much more. My God, people here are so uptight.- I'm not gay, - I am a musician. Thank You.

Also, just curious- is that a caricature of you in a tub with surveillance camera and a server?

[kjb434]

It was just a an avatar on this site. Haven't gotten my own yet.

[LTAWACS]

roofls

[houstonsemipro]

I've been in mississppi before for college reasons, and I would never go back. Roads are not lit. I feel sorry for people having a flat tire, or car problems at night on mississppi roads. Plus, mississppi is just a forest, woods. The only big thing in mississippi is gambling, just like louisiana.

[kjb434]

All of the big college towns in Mississippi or a little backwards as for as drinking goes, but not horrible.

Jackson and the areas or the north side of the state just outside of Memphis are not bad. The coastal area by Gulfport and Biloxi are good too. Gambling is working for this state. They have seen much improvements because of it. Also, many manufacturing companies are entering the state because is much more competive than the heavily unionized midwest and north.

As for the lighted roads, Texas has many dimly lit and non-lighted roadways. I-10 from Winnie to Beaumont appears so desolate at night times. US 59 in the rural areas from Houston to Marshall are dark too.

[Guest Professional Hornblower]

All of the big college towns in Mississippi or a little backwards as for as drinking goes, but not horrible.

English translation please.

Why do you stick up for horrible conditions- Refineries, dimly lit unsafe streets, under- age drinking.

What's next- are you going to defend the plague, world hunger, child abuse, or David Hasslehoff's music career.

P.S- how did you put the picture on the left side- It would be cool to have 2 pictures of me blowing my horn.

[kjb434]

Well, in Starkville (where Mississippi State is located) you can't sell cold beer and hard liquor can't be found. Many counties are still completely dry and you can be ticketed and force to empty all alcohol if you are transporting it through the county. Arkansas is completely dry on Sundays. I don't see what the big mess is all about. All of these restrictions are ridiculous. I like back home in south Louisiana where liquor can be sold all night and if you wanted one beer cold you can get one and only one. I just don't like legislation that is supposed to regulated people's choices that can hurt themselves. Let them make the mistake.

Its one thing to defend something. It another thing to see something for what it really is and understand is it really that horrible. Yes, it sucks that the roads are not well lit, but the statement makes it appear that only in Mississippi that this is occurs. It is in every state. I guess want all sides to have fair representations. I don't like blanket statements about anything. I'm guilty of doing it sometimes too, but it isn't fair.

Hey, underaged drinking isn't that bad. Look at France, they do not have any drink restrictions based on age, and drunkiness is not a problem. The children and teens learn to respect alcohol and don't abuse it.

The same premise with guns. Instead of just locking guns up from kids, it would be better to teach them respect for the weapon and safety. I don't own a gun because I don't feel I need one, but I learned how to shoot at the age of 7 and had to go to training courses for safety and take tests. It made me more responsible instead of being clueless.

Who says refineries produce horrible conditions. Me having gas for my car isn't that horrible. I don't see another way to get fuel we need. No othe sources are immediately available and cost effective.

World hunger: Most of the world hunger is do to corrupt governments that do not distribute the food that is donated to their people. The UN often hands out the food to places like Somalia and Ethiopia and their governments hord it and sell it on the black market. It sucks. We truly can't help these people until they are free from the tyrants that rule them. You didn't all of the food sent to Iraq in exchange for oil actually made it to the people? Our soldiers found stockpiles in the palaces that were inted for distribution. Some of the food was 5 or 6 years old.

I'm not for all these things, but they have a reason for existence. Some can be taken care of, some can't. I rather all sides have there point of view. Often I feel I have to present the side that doesn't get heard. The side that might dispell stereotypes and assumptions.

I'm not going to even touch David Hasslehoff. I think a blanket statement about his music would be too fair.

The pic is an avatar. When I signed up it was an option in my person options for my profile.

The have a bunch of them or you can add your own.

[Houstonrush]

I've been in mississppi before for college reasons, and I would never go back. Roads are not lit. I feel sorry for people having a flat tire, or car problems at night on mississppi roads. Plus, mississppi is just a forest, woods. The only big thing in mississippi is gambling, just like louisiana.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The only thing big in Mississippi and Louisiana is gambling? Oh lord kid you are so naive. You become of age and can appreciate sophisticated culture that is not an Xbox or Power Rangers then lets talk.

[kjb434]

^^^^

good point,

growing up in south La I realized how special the place was especially when I traveled.