User:DachshundLover82/sandbox/Effects of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana

Background
In 1965, heavy flooding caused by Hurricane Betsy brought concerns regarding flooding from hurricanes to the forefront. That year, Congress passed the Flood Control Act of 1965 which, among other issues, gave authority for design and construction of the flood protection in the New Orleans metropolitan area to the United States Army Corps of Engineers, subject to cost sharing principles, some of which were waived by later legislation. The local municipalities were charged with maintenance once the projects were completed. After 1965, the corps built a levee system around a much larger geographic footprint that included previous marshland and swamp. Many new subdivisions were developed to cater to those who preferred a more suburban lifestyle but were open to remaining within the city limits of New Orleans. Historians question why the area farthest east was developed, since it was viable wetlands and because ringing this region with levees did nothing significant toward protecting the city. What expansion accomplished was to increase the amount of land that could be developed, and it was a reason for the Army Corps to expand the size of its project. In addition the structures caused subsidence of up to 8 ft in some areas due to the consolidation of the underlying organic soils. A 1999–2001 study, led by Richard Campanella of the Tulane School of Architecture, used LIDAR technology and found that 51% of the terrestrial surface of the contiguous urbanized portions of Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard parishes lie at or above sea level, with the highest neighborhoods at 10 – above mean sea level.

When authorized, the flood control design and construction were projected to take 13 years to complete. When Katrina made landfall in 2005, the project was between 60 and 90% complete with a projected date of completion estimated for 2015, nearly 50 years after authorization. However, even the most insistent calls from officials to evacuate ahead of Katrina did not warn that the levees could breach.

Meteorological history
On August 23, a tropical depression developed over the Bahamas. The depression intensified, becoming Tropical Storm Katrina by 12:00 UTC the following day. Katrina moved westward in response to a subtropical ridge, becoming a Category 1 hurricane late on August 25, before making landfall in South Florida. The hurricane pulled inland over Florida, as its eye unusually improved over land.

Plaquemines Parish
Plaquemines Parish was the first parish to receive the impacts of Hurricane Katrina.