Guest Dazbo- mostly right.

1. It seems that soil tests were inadequate. They are now bringing in better quality clay from the Gulf and tests are being carried out.

2. Yes, the marshlands are decreasing at an alarming rate. Not only does this threaten the City, but valuable breeding grounds for aquatic and terrestrial life are lost.

3. The Corps of Engineers are responsible for building and maintaining the levees along navigable waterways, but- U. S. Congress must authorize the funds. And not only must Congress authorize the funds, but there are several committees and agencies that oversee the spending. These agencies can hold up expenditures almost indefinitely.

4. Various plans call for the restoration of parts of St. Bernard and Jefferson Parishes to marshland. A report due in April (?) will have maps incorporating recommendations. How these plans will be implemented, revised or ignored will be the subject of long debate.

5. Not only pumping of the water from underground, but pumping of oil caused lowering of ground level. Moreover, natural compaction of the soft, clayey sediments over time is a large contributor.

6. "New Orleans" is a metropolitan ares extending over three parishes. The greatest damage was in the Ninth and parts of the Seventh wards in the core area, and in St. Bernard Parish. These were the areas most affected by the failure of levees and walls along navagable waterways.

Estimates vary on how much housing was destroyed (cannot be reclaimed); perhaps 60% in the Ninth ward, 30-40% in the southern part of the Seventh Ward. Until a complete survey, house-by-house, is compiled, these figures will continue to vary. Areas of the City to the west and also south (Gretna, etc.) of the river sustained some wind damage, but most housing was not seriously affected.

Until the government assessment maps are completed (late Spring?), an accurate numerical assesment of the damage cannot be made.