Civil Engineering Consultants Help Prevent Flooding in New Orleans

As a coastal city, New Orleans has a love-hate relationship with the Mississippi River. On the one hand, it plays a key role in food supply, commerce and transportation. On the other hand, living so close to the water means the ever-present threat of flooding.

Recently, New Orleans has been on high alert for the latter since the waters at the Carrollton gauge has risen to 16 feet in May—just one foot below the official flood stage. As a result, east bank levee authorities have put a temporary ban against digging, pile driving, and underground work within 1,500 feet of the levees.

Such construction work may provide a pathway for the water in the river to push past the levees, which might lead to failure of the levees and therefore flooding in the city. If contractors and companies wish to undertake such work, they would need to secure a permit from flood protection authorities first.
 

Engineering at Work

 
While this restriction might delay crucial work from being completed, civil engineers agree that taking such precautions are a must if massive flooding is to be avoided. As you might know, the network of levees around the city represent one of the biggest engineering measures against the Mississippi River’s encroaching waters, and ensuring their structural integrity is a must.

However, levees are far from the only structures that can help keep the Mississippi River at bay. Dams, for one, are a classic engineering solution to the threat of flooding. In essence, a dam is a giant wall built along a river’s channel to impede its flow. Water then builds up behind the dam and becomes a reservoir; because of this, that water can be drained at a controlled rate—a features that is truly useful during periods of heavy rainfall.

Another option is diversion spillways. When a river’s water level rises beyond a certain level, the excess volume is discharged into a spillway, thereby preventing flooding. Structures can also be constructed to straighten the path of a river, thereby allowing it to flow faster and preventing the water from pooling, which can lead to floods.
 

No One-Size-Fits-All Solution

 
Of course, different localities will require different flood-prevention measures—there truly is no one-size-fits-all solution to this dilemma. If you are not sure which one is best for your area, it’s best to consult with civil engineering consultants in New Orleans. These professionals will assess the situation and provide you with bespoke solutions that fit your budget and specific needs.
 

Sources:

 
Don’t dig near rising Mississippi River levee in New Orleans, officials warn/em>, Nola.com<

Flood Management, Geographyas.com