>>>>>No one is talking right now about the tremendous opportunity this disaster presents because of all the carnage, but once everything dries out and the water receeds, there's going to be a huge demand for construction. The economy will come back roaring in the area. Half of Mexico will be in New Orleans helping put it back together! I guess it's like the acorn dropping to the ground, being interred, then turning into a giant oak tree. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but New Orleans will spring back to life soon!
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>>>>You write that 'once everything dries out and the water receeds'. How will that gonna happen? It is all below the sea level and the lake level. So, it won't stream back. Remains: pumping it out, which will be a huge undertaking, and/or dampening by the sun. Possible?
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>>>More than possible. It will happen!
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>>How?
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>American ingenuity, determination and money! Most important at this time is to prevent furthers deaths.

Tom

with the prospect of rising sea levels and increasingly stormy weather huge investment in aeras naturally below sea level might not be a good bet. Certainly not with out massive investment in even higher and more substantial flood defences.
And really the city should be sub divided into defended areas so if the levees in one area collpase the whole city doesn't flood. Also construction could be altered to make the buildings more tolerant of flooding. The buildings could be built on legs .

Nick Mason