My home town

When I turned 13, my family moved to Slidell, LA. Slidell is located just north of New Orleans on the north shore of Lake Ponchatrain. Obviously with the aftermath of Katrina, there is a tendancy for me to watch the news channels a bit more closely.

I know people there. This is part of my history.

Back in 1983, we suffered a very bad flooding incident in Slidell which left an indellible mark on me. I can remember stacking sandbags 6, 8 and 10 feet high around houses to help salvage their homes. I vividly remember working with my Dad on a wall, and he told me that when I got older that the best thing for me was to move and get away from the South Louisiana area. He went on to explain that this flood was nothing compared to what was coming down the road. He then explained the problem with New Orleans and the inherant "bowl" problem that the Corps of Engineers had to contend with.

The "bowl" problem is a case of the greater NO area is below sea level. It is protected by a support system of levee's that force the water back from Lake Ponchatrain, the Mississippi River and other water ways in the region. If a levee breaks, the water that comes into the city fills up like a bowl, and there are few if any methods of getting the water out.

That is what happened with Katrina.

I hate that it happened, but it was going to happen sooner or later...