Don't Give Up! Plug that Canal!

I posted this earlier today, at about 1:30 PM in a comment at www.brendanloy.com. I had hoped it might find the attention of some responsible authority. Brendan's blog is a primary resource for information regarding Katrina. My comment there has gotten lost however, way down below the deluge of new posts and comments. Perhaps re-posting it here will make it easier to find.

"It would seem to be a daunting task to try to sandbag a 200 foot, or two block, breach in that(those)canals.

From what I saw on CNN, the canal is not very wide, perhaps not more than 50 feet. It seems to me that it might be quicker to block off the whole canal, upstream of the breach. Once the inflow of water is stopped, then some of the other problems can be addressed.

The purpose of this canal is to provide a path to the lake, for the water that must be pumped out. Therefore,it is essential that it be restored to it's proper function.

One possibility, to accomplish such a closure, would be: If a large barge is available on Lake Pontchartrain; to sink that barge at the entrance to the canal, then sandbag around it to seal it off. Once the water is stopped, the levy can be more easily repaired,whereupon the barge can be re-floated.

Having been a Slidell resident, and survivor of Betsy in '65, I am deeply affected by this situation.

Some of my co-workers back then, took their boats into the city, and rescued many people. I, with co-workers, shoveled mud out of a house off Bay St Louis."

Perhaps the Corps has come up with the same idea, but from what I'm hearing now, is that they're giving up on a patch. I've heard that they were considering blocking the canal with sand-filled shipping containers. A barge would maybe work better.