State of the New Orleans Levees

Hurricane season is upon us, and the levees in and around New Orleans aren't quite up to where they need to be, but they're in an improved situation from just a few years ago. There are still areas that are insufficient to handle a Category 3 storm and work is progressing in and around the city.

Despite the money that the Army Corps of Engineers is spending on construction -- $2.5 billion since Hurricane Katrina and another $8 billion at the ready -- the federal protection system of enhanced levees, floodwalls, pumps, ramps and gates won't be finished until June 1, 2011, at the earliest.

"There are improvements over last year, yes," levee board executive Bob Turner said. "But even when it's finished, it will only be a system to protect property. It's evacuations that save people.

"So please don't stay home because you read about this or that improvement that's been finished and think it's safe to stay."

Evacuation is a tall order for southeast Louisiana residents weary of the grueling and expensive process of fleeing storms only to see them fizzle onshore or veer away. But it remains the only real protection from the potentially deadly storm surge of a hurricane, according to emergency officials, engineers, geologists and water managers throughout government and academia.

These analysts have been studying the levee system ever since it failed so catastrophically during Katrina. Some of them still are.

This map shows the key details.

The expectation is that the new and upgraded levees will be able to protect the City and surrounding areas behind the levees from a 100 year storm. The Army Corps of Engineers expects to have the system in place in 2011.