Flood Protection and Coastal Restoration

With water comes benefits and risk, a fact that has not escaped the thousands of Southern Louisiana residents who live and work in areas prone to flooding.  The level of risk that people are willing to take, and the level of protection that the rebuilt levees and natural coastal areas provide, are key factors in determining how the coastal areas of Louisiana will be rebuilt. 

Hurricane Katrina caused massive damages to the levee systems in the Greater New Orleans area.  Coastal areas were also hard hit, with many acres of shoreline destroyed or washed away.  Salt water intrusion disrupted fisheries and agricultural areas across the coastal region.  Most of the damage in southern Louisiana was the result either storm surge or flooding, therefore rebuilding flood protection devices and restoring coastal areas are vital steps in the rebuilding process. 

This section was written with specific input from the Louisiana Recovery Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Included in this sector:

• The impacts of Hurricane Katrina and Rita on coastal areas
• Goals for rebuilding the flood protection system
• An overview of the ongoing coastal protection initiatives