Where not to build a major city

Don't blame Mother nature. Much of New Orleans was below sea level.

Excerpt:

The city of New Orleans, which is at or below sea-level in many areas, is sandwiched between levees from Lake Pontchartrain to the north and the Mississippi River to its south creating the 'bowl' effect so often described.

And here's an interesting factioid

Excerpt:

Ironically, all the pumps, canals, and levees that work so hard to keep New Orleans above water are actually causing the city to sink at a rate of three feet per century. Some scientists predict that by the year 2100, the "City That Care Forgot" will be under water.

I say:

Building below sea level is just plain stupid. You say you need room to expand your city? Boston ran into the same thing in the 19th century. The Bostonians had the good sense (this was before the Irish took over) to dump some landfill into the Back Bay before building on it.

Oh, and blame global warming? Not so fast. This was a manmade disaster, but not by that vector.


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