Engineering Inc. - September/October 2007 - 12

MacMurray: What are the lessons learned from the Corps’ involvement in Katrina, Iraq and Afghanistan reconstruction projects, and how do these affect your thinking going forward? Van Antwerp: The Corps is a learning organization. We constantly are learning from our past experiences, working to be more efficient, more productive, more transparent and more risk-based. We have learned many lessons from recent experiences in Louisiana, Iraq and Afghanistan. For example, from Hurricane Katrina, we’ve really locked in the importance of risk-based communication. People who live on the Gulf Coast need to know their level of risk, and it needs to be told in a way they can understand. I like to call that “the truth well told.” The truth can be spoken in “engineerese” and only an engineer can understand it. But if your mother owns a house in the Ninth Ward, she wants to know, “Where will the water mark be on my wall?” If you can talk like that, you’ve taken it from a map with colors to something that people can understand. One of the things we did was roll out a risk and reliability assessment. This is an online tool where people can log on, enter their address and see how high the water will be in their home, if we had another major storm. This is our best shot at telling people what their risk is with the project at its current state, and then we’ll make a run that tells them what their risk will be when we get to the 100-year level of storm protection. Then they can make informed deci- sions. That’s communicating transparently. Regarding Iraq reconstruction, I have met with Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, and read the reports with his recommendations for improvement. We have implemented the many good ideas that were advanced in those reports, and we are a better organization as a result. In the immediate future, and always, we really need to focus on completing the programs and projects already under way and—I can’t say this enough—delivering with excellence. We also are working diligently to upgrade and enhance the skills of the local people, to enable them to handle the long-term maintenance of infrastructure and to continue to build upon the accomplishments we’ve had thus far. What is the status of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers efforts in New Orleans? How protected is the city against another serious hurricane? VAN ANTWERP: When the president visited Jackson n Orleans Parish—repairs to all 23 major pump stations; Square Park in New Orleans on Sept. 15, 2005, he pledged n Jefferson Parish—repairs to 17 of 23 major pump stations; to make the flood protection system “stronger than it has ever n Plaquemines Parish—repairs to 6 of 18 major pump stations; been.” He followed with a commitment to provide 100-year n St. Bernard Parish—repairs to all 8 major pumps; hurricane protection. After nearly two years of unrelenting and n Awarding of 140 construction contracts valued at $1.172 bilconcentrated effort, the hurricane flood protection system is lion; four design contracts and five program management stronger than it has ever been and plans are in place to achieve support contracts awarded with a combined potential value of the 100-year protection. There is plenty of evidence to justify $599 million; and the assertion. Right now, we have authorized spending of $7.1 n By January 2008, 27 additional construction contracts will be billion; $1.7 billion has been allocated. awarded with a value of $860 million. What has been accomplished is: Perhaps most important, at the n Removal of more than 275 billion gallons recommendation of the Interagency of water from New Orleans; Performance Evaluation Task Force n Repair, rebuilding and strengthening of (IPET), the Corps has transitioned to 256 miles of levees within the 350-mile a “systems” approach in strengthening New Orleans Hurricane Protection the HPS to withstand the effects of a System; one-in-100-year storm, or one with a 1 n Installation of new interim closure gates at percent chance of occurring in a given the three outfall canals (London, Orleans year. and 17th Street) and the Harvey Canal; In addition, sophisticated hydraulics n Installation of 59 portable pumps at the modeling and the research at the Engithree outfall canals with pumping capabilneer Research and Development Cenity of approximately 16,000 cubic feet ter (ERDC) have created maps that per second, or about 120,000 gallons per clearly show the risk associated with second (enough to fill an Olympic-sized living in the greater New Orleans area swimming pool in two seconds) compared before Katrina, today and once the Lt. Gen. Van Antwerp uses a map of New Orleans with 68,856 gallons per second in August 100-year flood protection is achieved. to illustrate the Corps’ 100-year flood protection 2006; This groundbreaking risk analysis plan to ACEC Chairman Mac MacMurray. n Revitalizing the infrastructure of the marks the first time that the Corps has New Orleans Sewage and Water Board through major motor had a measurement tool, backed by science and engineering, to rewinds, generator repairs, building and repair of pump houses view the protection system. This is the first in-depth risk analysis and construction of new safe houses for the board; for any coastal area in the country. Forrest MacCorMaCk 12 ENGINEERING INC. sEptEmbER / oCtobER 2007

Engineering Inc. - September/October 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - September/October 2007