Hurricane Katrina: Will we ever learn?

The havoc wreaked by Hurricane Katrina came as no surprise to anyone schooled in meteorology, hydrology, geology or ecology. Though no agency or government could prevent the effects of a catastrophic storm, the inevitable results have been anticipated for decades. I learned the protective value of barrier islands and wetlands in college in the early 1970s. And yet we seemed caught off guard. How did that happen?
For the last 35 years the people in charge of funding wetlands protection have bet their political careers that, because catastrophic events such as Katrina are so rare, none would occur on their watch. It's a safe bet, but this time Katrina beat the house. As a result, the destruction of New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast seems nearly complete.
There's plenty of blame and criticism to go around, but it is more important to learn from our mistakes.
Warning
First, heed the experts. State and federal agencies are staffed with thousands of engineers, geologists, ecologists and other professionals who have warned of this outcome from a Category 4 or 5 storm for years. They've built, tested and retested computer models that predicted the very results we witnessed across the Gulf Coast. Just three years ago, the New Orleans Times-Picayune published an eerily prescient five-part series that outlined the consequences of a direct hit.
But when funds were requested to repair flood control structures and restore wetlands, Congress had far too many other pressing projects. These "environmental" issues were routinely underfunded or even ignored. Roads, bridges and wars seemed so much more important. (Please understand that this criticism reaches back more than 30 years across both political parties.)
Well, now the bill has come due. As I write this, President Bush has already requested $60 billion in disaster aid. USA Today reports that works out to about $625 from every household in America. And that number is certain to increase. Guess who's foots the bill? You and me, that's who.
The next decision is to rebuild or relocate areas that have been destroyed. The American spirit demands we rebuild. We always do. This time, however, let's use our brains and do the smart thing. Move New Orleans and rebuild it above sea level. Move destroyed coastal communities inland. Restore barrier islands, wetlands and mainland buffer strips to reduce storm surge and winds to survivable levels. Repaired wetlands also rejuvenate the fishing and shellfish industries in coastal areas.
Relocating an entire community is not without precedent. After a 1993 flood on the Mississippi River, the federal government moved the town of Valmeyer, Ill. (population 900) more than a mile to land that was well out of the flood plain. It cost $65 million to move this small town, so the price of relocating Gulf coastal communities would be enormous. But we're starting from scratch, so it just makes sense to rebuild in a safer place.
If, however, folly prevails and rebuilding takes place on site, it must be done with an absolute commitment to restore the Gulf Coast's wetlands and barrier islands. To do otherwise is to invite economic and ecological ruin with the next big storm.
Elsewhere
Finally, we must apply these lessons elsewhere. The Gulf Coast is not the only place that has experienced explosive coastal development over the last 40 years. Vacation communities and resorts have sprung up along the entire Eastern seaboard.
See for yourself at www.maps.google.com. Zoom in on satellite images along the East Coast. You'll see homes and other buildings that dot the barrier islands all along the coast -- homes, buildings and communities waiting to be destroyed by the next big storm.
Barrier islands are the mainland's first defense against fierce storms. Marshes and wetlands behind the barrier islands provide additional protection. Models vary, but every acre of wetland and barrier island reduces the storm surge that can reach the mainland. It's true along the Gulf Coast, and it's true along the Eastern seaboard.
Maybe now someone will listen to the experts.
XSend questions and comments to Dr. Scott Shalaway, R.D. 5, Cameron, W.Va. 26033 or via e-mail to sshalaway@aol.com