US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG®

Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk

Reduction System

Angela DeSoto-Duncan, P.E. Deputy Chief of the Execution Support Division

Hurricane Protection Office

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

March 19, 2011

Hurricane Katrina Storm Surge

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IPET – Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force

§  Over 150 members: academia, industry, state and federal agencies

§  Charged to answer 5 Questions:

►  Flood Protection System

► Storm

► Performance

► Consequences

► Risk

§  Peer review by National Academy of Sciences and ASCE

§  Draft report June 2006

§  Final report released spring 2009

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Hurricane Protection Decision Chronology Findings: Key Decision Influences

Tyranny of Incremental Decisions

Lack of Dynamic Use of New Information

Organizational Decision-Making Issues

Loss of Vision for an Integrated

System

Shared Sensitivity to Cost Concerns

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Institutional Response

§ Comprehensive systems approach

§ Risk-informed decision making

§ Communication of risk to the public

§ Professional and technical expertise

HSDRRS Lessons’ Learned

BUILDING STRONG®

Elements include: • Coastal restoration/protection • Structural measures • Non-structural features

(Graphic from www.mlods.org )

Multiple Lines of Defense

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Time (days)

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Hurricane Paths Considered in the Risk Analysis

§  3 HSDRRS Geometries ► Pre-Katrina ► Current (1 June 07) ► 100-year

§  152 storms ► 25 yr to 5,000+ yr

§  350+ features ► Floodwalls ► Levees ► Pumps Stations

→  62,928 Hurricane Hydrographs

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IHNC-Lake Borgne Surge Barrier

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Buying Down Risk: Shared Responsibility

Risk

Initial Risk

Zoning / Building Codes

Coastal Protection and Restoration

Outreach

Evacuation Plan

Insurance

Levees / Floodwalls / Structures

Residual Risk