There is a truly stunning animated graphic on the web that was recently published by the New Orleans Times-Picayune. It tells the entire sequence of events that occurred during Hurricane Katrina from the beginning, and explains how the flooding happened. I have not seen anything like it before. Very highly recommended.
The take home message is that almost all the levee failures in the New Orleans area were associated with manmade drainage canals and shipping channels such as the MRGO (the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet) and the Intercostal Canal. In particular, it re-inforces my firm belief that my house in Meraux flooded because there were severe design flaws in the manmade MRGO. Amazingly, the Army Corps of Engineers, who designed the MRGO, claims the channel had absolutely nothing to do with the flooding. Watch the graphic and see if you agree.
As for me, the Corp's refusal to admit the harm they have done in creating the MRGO is a flat out insult. I would like to see every one of them go to jail for putting thousands of lives in grave danger because of their gross incompetence.
For a well-deserved mauling of the Army Corps of Engineers, see this article that appeared in Sunday's Washington Post.