[House Document 105-171]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-171


 
                 LOUISIANA HURRICANE PROTECTION PROJECT

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

  THE ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY (CIVIL WORKS), THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 
                                  ARMY

                              TRANSMITTING

 THE REPORT ON A HURRICANE AND STORM DAMAGE REDUCTION PROJECT FOR THE 
LAKE CATAOUATCHE AREA ON THE WEST BANK OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN THE 
 VICINITY OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, PURSUANT TO PUB. L. 104-303, SEC. 
                               101(b)(11)




  November 13, 1997.--Referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure and ordered to be printed



                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page
Letter of Transmittal............................................   vii
Comments of the Office of Management and Budget..................    ix
Comments of the State of Louisiana...............................     x
Comments of the Department of the Interior.......................   xii
Response to the Department of the Interior.......................    xv
Comments of the Department of Commerce...........................   xvi
Comments of the Department of Health and Human Services.......... xviii
Comments of the Environmental Protection Agency..................   xix
Report of the Chief of Engineers, Department of the Army.........     1
Recommendation of the Division Engineer..........................    10
Report of the District Engineer:
    Syllabus.....................................................    12
    Introduction.................................................    15
        Study Authority..........................................    15
        Study Purpose and Scope..................................    15
        Report and Study Process.................................    16
        Prior Studies and Reports................................    16
        West Bank Hurricane Protection...........................    17
        Other Studies and Reports................................    18
    Problem Identification.......................................    22
        Introduction.............................................    22
        The National Objective...................................    22
        Existing Conditions......................................    22
            Location.............................................    22
            Physical Setting.....................................    23
                Physiography.....................................    23
                Geology..........................................    23
                Subsidence.......................................    24
                Soils............................................    24
                Cimatology/Hydrology.............................    25
            Existing Protection and Drainage.....................    29
            Development and Economy..............................    31
                Business/Industrial Activity and Regional Growth.    31
                Employment.......................................    32
                Income...........................................    34
                Population.......................................    35
                Property Values and Housing......................    36
                Economic Outlook.................................    37
            Environmental and Natural Resources..................    37
                Biological.......................................    37
                Aquatic Resources................................    38
                Water Quality....................................    38
                Cultural Resources...............................    39
                Recreation.......................................    39
        Conditions If No Federal Action Is Taken.................    40
            Socioeconomic Resources..............................    40
            Environmental Resources..............................    42
                Biological.......................................    42
                Aquatic Resources................................    44
                Sea Level Rise and Subsidence....................    45
                Water Quality....................................    45
                Cultural Resources...............................    45
                Recreation.......................................    45
    Plan Formulation.............................................    46
        Problems, Needs and Opportunities........................    46
            Problems and Needs Related to Hurricane Protection...    46
            Problems Related to Hurricane Evacuation.............    49
            Opportunities for Natural Resource Protection........    52
            Improvements Desired.................................    53
        Planning Constraints.....................................    54
        Planning Objectives......................................    54
        Management Measures......................................    54
        Formulation Principles...................................    55
        Plan Formulation Rationale...............................    56
        Plans Considered.........................................    58
            Plan 1A..............................................    58
            Plan 1B..............................................    59
            Plan 1C..............................................    60
            Plan 2A..............................................    61
            Plan 2B..............................................    62
        Plan Assessment and Evaluation...........................    63
            Plan 1A..............................................    64
            Plan 1B..............................................    65
            Plan 1C..............................................    69
            Plan 2A..............................................    72
            Plan 2B..............................................    73
            Summary of Plan Assessment...........................    75
        Comparison of Plans......................................    75
            Economic Considerations..............................    82
            Social Consideration.................................    83
            Engineering Considerations...........................    85
            Environmental Considerations.........................    88
            Hazardous, Toxicological and Radioactive Waste (HTRW) 
              Considerations.....................................    89
            Public Interest Considerations.......................    90
            Conclusions..........................................    91
        Risk-Based Analysis......................................    91
        National Economic Development (NED) Plan.................    95
        Determination of the Recommended Plan....................    97
        Rationale for Deviating from NED Protection..............    97
    Recommended Plan.............................................   101
        Plan Description.........................................   101
        Plan Accomplishments.....................................   103
        Summary of Economic Analysis.............................   104
        Engineering Design.......................................   107
            Levees...............................................   107
            Floodwalls...........................................   109
            Pumping Stations.....................................   109
            Relocations..........................................   110
        Real Estate Considerations...............................   110
        Operation and Maintenance Considerations.................   111
        Social, Environmental, HTRW and Public Interest Effects..   112
            Social Effects.......................................   112
            Environmental Effects................................   112
            HTRW Effects.........................................   113
            Public Interest Effects..............................   113
        Relationship to Westwego to Harvey Canal.................   114
    Plan Implementation..........................................   116
        Introduction.............................................   116
        Cost Apportionment.......................................   116
        Division of Responsibilities.............................   117
            Federal Responsibilities.............................   117
            Non-Federal Responsibilities.........................   117
        Summary of Coordination..................................   119
    Local Cooperation............................................   121
        Views of Local Sponsor...................................   121
        Preliminary Financing Negotiations.......................   121
        Assessment of Financial Capability.......................   121
    Environmental Impact Statement...............................   124
    Conclusion...................................................   182
    Recommendations of the District Engineer.....................   184
    Plates 1 through 6..........................................187-192

                              ----------                               

      APPENDICES ACCOMPANYING THE REPORT OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER

Appendix A--Engineering Investigations (only sections 2, 3, 4 & 5 
  printed).......................................................   193
Appendix B--Economics (only sections 9 & 10 printed).............   206
Appendix C--Environmental Supporting Documentation (not printed).
Appendix D--Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report (not 
  printed).
Appendix E--Real Estate Supplement (not printed).
Appendix F--Public Views and Responses (not printed).