HurricaneKatrinaBrokenLevees,ShatteredDreams.docVIP

Running Head: Broken Levees, Shattered Dreams Hurricane Katrina Broken Levees, Shattered Dreams In APA Format Alan Snyder The Penn State University English 202C Dr. Julie Kearney 24 April 2007 Abstract Hurricane Katrina was one of the biggest natural disasters to ever hit the United States. Countless lives were lost or ruined when gallons upon gallons of water spilled into the city, covering and destroying everything in its path. Although there is no way to stop natural disasters, there are ways to prepare for them. The United States Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, had the full potential, capability, and duty to protect the city of New Orleans against an onslaught of nature like this, but failed to do so. The USACE instead, chose a route of cost-cutting and negligence to complete their task. The failure of the USACE to competently build levees and floodwalls around the city caused many unnecessary lives to be lost and millions of dollars in damages. Table Of Contents Table of Figures……………………………………………………………………Page 4 Background………………………………………………………………………...Page 5 The USACE in New Orleans……………………………………………………... Page 5 The Construction…………………………………………………………………..Page 6 The Appeal………………………………………………………………………...Page 7 The Disaster……………………………………………………………………….Page 7 The Aftermath……………………………………………………………………..Page 8 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………...…Page 8 References………………………………………………………………………...Page 10 Table Of Figures Figure 1…………………………………………………………………….………Page 6 Figure 2…………………………….………………………………………………Page 8 Background The United States Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, was first thought of in Colonial times. The first Continental Congress established a group of engineers that were charged with making defenses against the British, around Bunker Hill, outside of Boston (United States Army Corps of Engineers, 2007). Over time, the need for these engineers has changed. During wartime, obviously they are needed more, to create defenses for our troops, and in peaceti