"JH" == Jay Honeck writes:

JH Perhaps we shouldn't allow citizens of the U.S. to build in
JH areas that are absolutely, positively 100% guaranteed to
JH flood? How about we start by not allowing people to build
JH businesses and dwellings BELOW SEA LEVEL NEXT TO AN OCEAN?

About 25% of the Netherlands is below sea level, yet they have decided
that's an acceptable risk.

The reason might be because their decision-makers understand the
scientific/statistical principle that the statement "100% guaranteed
to flood" is meaningless. Even a statement using a number less than
100% is meaningless without a corresponding time period.

Apparently the Dutch have decided to build their levees so that their
flood return period, whatever it is (I'll guess it's over 1000 years),
is acceptable to them.

There are valid historic reasons for building near the ocean, and I'll
bet when New Orleans was started the land was not below sea level.

I saw a news clip of an interview with a US Army Corps of Engineer
general who seemed to know his stuff. According to him the levees
around NO have held in past storms up to their design. Katrina was
beyond their design strength and sure enough they failed.