In New Orleans, Levees' Brawn in Dispute

Government and independent engineers disagreed Thursday when pressed by a U.S. House subcommittee on whether the current state of area levees made it safe for residents to rebuild in parts of the city that flooded worst during Hurricane Katrina.
He told lawmakers without hesitation that he would return if it was his home in the area, but others questioned him, saying that the levees have yet to be tested.

Army Corps of Engineers Col. Richard Wagenaar stressed that the levees ringing the metro area now are significantly stronger and in some cases higher than what existed before Katrina hit Aug. 29.

"I think the Colonel is a bit optimistic," said Dr. Gordon Boutwell, with the American Society of Civil Engineers.

from the Washington Post