On 7 Sep 2005 06:51:30 -0700, "riverman" wrote:

What do you think, the engineers at the ORCS are tearing their hair out
at Bush's promise to 'rebuild New Orleans'. This was their golden
chance to have a permanent solution to the problem of holding back the
Mississippi to spare the city and infrastructure of the lower delta.
They should rebuild the city and refineries at the mouth of the
Atchafalaya, knock out the Old River Control Structure, and bye-bye
worries.

Hello? It was a politician speaking. He could have meant everything
you're suggesting and still call it rebuilding New Orleans. Most
likely he doesn't, but it could be faked.

I don't mind if they leave the French Quarter and some of the hotels
and historic buildings there and improve the levees around them. But
the idea of building the whole thing back in the same place is
foolish. If it's not evident to Bush (and it may not be), it should
be obvious to his successor. I doubt they'll have made too much
progress in the next couple of years of trying it, if that's the
intention. The EPA and the wildlife people will be putting spokes in
the wheels every which way, not to mention sensible people being
unwilling to give heavy support to it. If someone in the Corps of
Engineers gets a better idea and rams it into the bureaucracy, they'll
never put a whole city in that location again. Not likely, since
their entire philosophy has tradtionally been to dig and dam, but we
can hope.

Oil and gas and shipping companies may have a lot better sense and
ability to chose their own places to build, too. That will help
congregate living places nearer them.

Only 3 more years until a new president takes office. I hope both
parties can offer me better next time than last time.

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
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