U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District

Our service since 1803 has been an ever-evolving task. We made possible the flatboat and then steamboat trade that gave outlet to the Mississippi Basins bounty. After the Great Flood of 1927 on the Mississippi, the Corps assumed a far-larger role in flood control, with great works such as the Bonnet Carre Spillway and Morganza Floodway, and in the centurys second half, the Old River Control Structure to keep the Mississippi on course. Todays great challenges are the twin threats of hurricane destruction and coastal erosion. The latter is the main reason that environmental protection is looming larger than either flood control or navigation. However, in the imperiled, 20,000-square mile Louisiana coastal area the three tasks are inextricably linked. Historically comprehensive studies are now underway on coastal restoration and hurricane protection, and will require close coordination for maximum effectiveness. The New Orleans District encompasses 30,000 square miles in Louisia...