Looking into the future the Pelican feeding its young from a self-induced wound in its own breast (as depicted, mysteriously, on the state flag of Louisiana) is accepted as an appropriate symbol of both self-sacrifice and rebirth. Through his selfless efforts, man is raised from the slavery of ignorance to the condition of freedom conferred by wisdom. Given the current state of affairs in Louisiana, one hopes that the understanding of the Pelican as a symbol shall point the way towards a new consciousness of ourselves as a whole, and lead us to face our futures with strength, grace, wisdom and faith, to learn from our mistakes and carry our successes and zest for living to future generations.

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Floodgates Weren't the Answer

1. June 28, 2007
2. source: http://www.nola.com

Re: "Gates still needed for lake, ex-corps head says," Your Opinions, June 22.

It took a whole lot of mistakes and blunders to drown New Orleans.

Recent computer modeling done by LSU showed that the old barrier plan was not the answer for New Orleans. (That plan would have consisted of floodgates, two in the east side of the Lake Pontchartrain and the third at the Industrial Canal near the Seabrook Bridge.)

During Hurricane Katrina the barrier plan might not have prevented the 17th Street Canal failure and overtopping and flooding in metro New Orleans. The areas near the Industrial Canal would have been even worse.

In addition, the barrier plan would have done nothing to stop the funnel effect of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet. The fast and furious surge from the MR-GO still would have flooded Greater New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish.

Hassan S. Mashriqui, P.E.
Assistant Extension Professor
Coastal Engineering
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge

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Gates still needed for lake, ex-corps head says

1. June 22, 2007
2. source: http://www.nola.com

Re: "Save Our Wetlands called a positive force," Your Opinions, June 19.

In 1974-'75 I was the colonel commanding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District. Several groups, including Save Our Wetlands, fought tooth and nail to stop the corps designing twin barriers at the east end of Lake Pontchartrain. The gates would have remained open except when a large storm approached. Those structures were to supplement what we knew would be problematic dikes and levees nearer to the city.

The corps felt strongly that those barriers were essential to blunt a hurricane's attack, especially from the east. Yet the opponents took the corps to court to stop work on them.

After I left New Orleans, a federal judge was somehow persuaded to direct that work cease on the barriers' designs. The mantra then: "Just build the levees higher." We knew that was the wrong answer.

Several years later, the corps had not completely given up on pushing again for those essential barriers. By 1985, I was head of the corps (as chief of engineers in Washington). My staff brought me a proposal to stop fighting for the barriers; the opponents in Louisiana were still as strong as when I had left a decade earlier.

I was discouraged and decided to stop fighting for the barriers any longer. I had concluded: "The judge and Louisiana have spoken -- the corps simply had not convinced the system."

In retrospect, that was the biggest mistake I made during my 35 years as an Army officer.

The recently released review of the Katrina engineering issues by the American Society of Civil Engineers appears to me to reconfirm the need for those barriers, or something like them.

As too many continue to rush around to find someone to blame for the Katrina engineering failures, they can blame me. I gave up too easily.

Now I hope that the studies reconsider barriers at the east end of the lake, much like the storm surge protection used by the Dutch, the Brits and other nations.

Elvin R. "Vald" Heiberg III
Lieutenant General
U.S. Army (Retired)
Arlington, Va.