this storm could alter the course of the river

[madrchsod]

and leave baton rouge and new orleans without a navigable river and reduced drinking water supply
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_River_Control_Structure

looks like this storm is one the army corp never wanted to see...

[BayouBengal07]

1. Arrghhh

It just keeps getting worse and worse...

[Roland99]

2. Message from a friend of mine in Mandeville (north shore)

The City of New Orleans on the South shore of Lake Ponchartrain is wedged in between the Mississippi River and the Lake.

The land that the city is built on is 17 feet below the the sea level of the Lake which is connected to the Gulf Of Mexico.

It has NO business being called a "Lake".

How many lakes do you know that has salt water and tides???

We have Manatees coming in and out of here from the Gulf.

There is a 19 foot Levee on each side of the river protecting the city as well as a levee along the shore of the Lake.

IF the lake comes up 4 feet it will come over the top of the levee flooding all of the City of New Orleans with 17 feet deep of water.

So basically there is 2 feet of leeway of whether New Orleans survives or not.

[hobbit709]

3. We keep thinking we're in control

but every now and then Mother Nature says "Wanna bet?"

[markus]

4. Depends on how far the storm surge gets up river

I found an analysis of recent re-analysis of the likely storm surges in Betsy. It looks like the River backup was endined before Baton Rouge. It would take a lot to stop the river running all the way up to the old river control structure.

[On the Road]

5. I've Read That John McPhee Book

and the old river control system sounded very scary even without a storm. Preventing more water from flowing into the Atchafalaya and flooding large areas is difficult enough as it is.