Rebuilding New Orleans: Subsidence and Sea-Level Rise are the Greatest Threats

A new article at Geology.com points to subsidence and sea-level rise as the greatest sustainability threats to rebuilding New Orleans. The city is slipping below sea level at a rate of about one foot per decade. Hurricane Katrina was one of 17 hurricanes to pass near the city since 1852.

(PRWEB) February 5, 2006 -- Most people think that hurricanes are the greatest threat to New Orleans, however, a new article at Geology.com titled Rebuilding New Orleans (www.geology.com/articles/rebuilding-new-orleans.shtml) specifies subsidence and sea-level rise as much greater concerns. Within the next century, New Orleans will sink about one meter and sea level is likely to rise another one to two meters. This places New Orleans an additional two to three meters below sea level by the end of this century.

This continued subsidence and sea-level rise will make the city very expensive to sustain and demand a continuous upgrading of the levees and pumping systems. These costs of protecting the city from seepage and storms will become more expensive than practical. Anyone who owns or plans to purchase New Orleans real estate should understand not only the hurricane risk, but also the subsidence and sea level rise risks.

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Contact:

Hobart King

Geology.com

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