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World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC) and the International Environmental Commission Technical Seminar October 28, 2009 Westin Canal Place COL Alvin “Al” Lee New Orleans District Commander US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG® 1 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers People: ▪ Corps wide - 34,000 ▪ Civil Works - 24,000 ▪ MVD - 5,000 45 45 2 BUILDING STRONG® MN ND New Orleans District’s Mission Provide comprehensive water resources management to include navigation, flood and hurricane storm damage risk reduction and environmental stewardship for South Louisiana to ensure public safety and benefit the nation. Be prepared to conduct contingency operations and support the national response framework. MI WI MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL DUBUQUE ROCK ISLAND IA IL IN KS ST. LOUIS MO OK KY CAIRO AR TN MEMPHIS LITTLE ROCK AL VICKSBURG SHREVEPORT LA TX JACKSON MS BATON ROUGE NEW ORLEANS 3 BUILDING STRONG® Mississippi River & Tributaries Project (MR&T) Reduces Risk for approximately 4 million people Miles of levee: • 3,727 miles authorized • 3,486 miles in place • Main stem levee system is 95.5% complete Flood Protection • $12.9 billion invested for planning, construction, operation and maintenance, since 1928 • $353.6 billion in flood damages prevented, since 1928 • 27 to 1 return on each dollar invested The Mississippi River & the Louisiana Port Complex In 2007, our port complex ranked #3 in total tonnage worldwide PORT OF BATON ROUGE PORT OF LAKE CHARLES PORT OF SOUTH LOUISIANA In 2005, before Katrina, ranked #2 PORT OF PLAQUEMINES worldwide PORT OF NEW ORLEANS District Boundary Gulf Intracoastal Waterway “The Corps of Engineers manages the Mississippi River, but its resources have not been allocated.” -Mark Davis, Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law & Policy 6 BUILDING STRONG® Consequences Arise from a Single Mission Approach • Implementation has been incremental – Navigation – Flood & Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction – Ecosystem Restoration • Focus on limited users for specific purposes – Sometimes to the exclusion of other users • Conflicts in water resource use are difficult to manage 7 BUILDING STRONG® Paradigm Shift Required: Integrated Systems Approach Flood Damage Risk Reduction Navigation Ecosystem Restoration 8 BUILDING STRONG®