Katrina Storm Model was Insufficient

KATRINA APPROACHES NEW ORLEANS

An interesting article today by the International Herald says that the statistical model used to plan New Orleans' hurricane flood protection was insufficient and too simplistic. Some points that the article makes:

- System was designed to withstand a quick-moving Cat 3
- System was projected to cost $85 million
- System not completed before Katrina but had cost $738m
- Since Katrina, additional $800m in repairs to system
- Cost to benefit ratio ignored costs of system failure
- Statistical model ignored "unusually strong" storms
- Model used 100 mph winds (Cat 2) as calculation
- The Netherlands uses "10,000 Year Storm" for flood planning