Standard Project Hurricane
Encyclopedia
The Standard Project Hurricane, or SPH, was the initial model used to determine how strong the hurricane protection system should be in order to protect the New Orleans, Louisiana area from flooding due to hurricanes.
The standard was developed before the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale
came into use, and the features of the storm fit poorly with the scale. The wind speed for the project hurricane was just 100 miles per hour, which falls into Category 2; other features more closely resemble a much more severe Category 4. The United States Army Corps of Engineers
generally calls it the equivalent of a fast-moving Category 3.
The standard project hurricane became "enshrined within the corps," according to an investigation of the levee failures in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, who noted that "the corps
saw little need to go back and reanalyze "the true risks of catastrophic flooding" in New Orleans. Even when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
, the successor agency to the Weather Bureau, recommended increasing the strength of the model, the corps did not change its construction plans."
The creators of the standard project hurricane, in an attempt to find a representative storm, actually excluded the fiercest storms from the database.
"Storms like Hurricane Camille
in 1969 were taken out of the data set as lying too far out of the norm; the Berkeley researchers noted that 'excluding outlier data is not appropriate in the context of dealing with extreme hazards.' Also, the calculations of the cost-benefit ratio did not take into account the costs of failure, both economic and social, far greater in an urban area like New Orleans than a rural one."
History
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began developing the model with the Weather Bureau in 1959.The standard was developed before the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
came into use, and the features of the storm fit poorly with the scale. The wind speed for the project hurricane was just 100 miles per hour, which falls into Category 2; other features more closely resemble a much more severe Category 4. The United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
generally calls it the equivalent of a fast-moving Category 3.
The standard project hurricane became "enshrined within the corps," according to an investigation of the levee failures in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, who noted that "the corps
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
saw little need to go back and reanalyze "the true risks of catastrophic flooding" in New Orleans. Even when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
, the successor agency to the Weather Bureau, recommended increasing the strength of the model, the corps did not change its construction plans."
Shortcomings
Dr. David Daniel, the chairman of a panel reviewing the corps' investigation, said in an interview, "It was not a terribly sophisticated or detailed analysis by today's standards."The creators of the standard project hurricane, in an attempt to find a representative storm, actually excluded the fiercest storms from the database.
"Storms like Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille was the third and strongest tropical cyclone and second hurricane during the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season. The second of three catastrophic Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the United States during the 20th century , which it did near the mouth of the Mississippi River...
in 1969 were taken out of the data set as lying too far out of the norm; the Berkeley researchers noted that 'excluding outlier data is not appropriate in the context of dealing with extreme hazards.' Also, the calculations of the cost-benefit ratio did not take into account the costs of failure, both economic and social, far greater in an urban area like New Orleans than a rural one."
See also
- Flood Control Act of 1965Flood Control Act of 1965The Flood Control Act of 1965, Title II of , was enacted on October 27, 1965, by the 89th Congress and authorized the United States Army Corps of Engineers to design and construct numerous flood control projects including the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity, Louisiana Hurricane Protection Project...
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works controversiesU.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works controversiesThe United States Army Corps of Engineers is involved with a wide spectrum of public works projects: environmental protection, water supply, recreation, flood damage and reduction, beach nourishment, homeland security, military construction, and support to other Governmental agencies.Many of the...
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works controversies (New Orleans)U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works controversies (New Orleans)Through 19 Flood Control Acts since 1917, the United States Congress has authorized the United States Army Corps of Engineers to become involved with design and construction of flood protection and damage reduction system in the Greater New Orleans area and throughout the nation.The Flood Control...
- 2005 levee failures in Greater New Orleans
- When the Levees BrokeWhen the Levees BrokeWhen the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts is a 2006 documentary film directed by Spike Lee about the devastation of New Orleans, Louisiana due to the failure of the levees during Hurricane Katrina. It was filmed in late August and early September 2005, and premiered at the New Orleans Arena on...
(film) - London Avenue CanalLondon Avenue CanalThe London Avenue Canal is a drainage canal in New Orleans, Louisiana, used for pumping rain water into Lake Pontchartrain. The Canal runs through the 7th Ward of New Orleans from the Gentilly area to the Lakefront....
- 17th Street Canal17th Street CanalThe 17th Street Canal is a drainage canal in Greater New Orleans, Louisiana, that flows into Lake Pontchartrain. The canal forms a significant portion of the boundary between the city of New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana...
- Industrial CanalIndustrial CanalThe Industrial Canal is a 5.5 mile waterway in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The waterway's proper name, as used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and on NOAA nautical charts, is Inner Harbor Navigation Canal...
- Reconstruction of New OrleansReconstruction of New OrleansThe Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 caused significant problems due to the breach of the flood protection system designed after 1965 to protect the city. Over 204,000 homes in New Orleans were damaged or destroyed, and more than 800,000 citizens displaced — the greatest displacement in the United...
- Civil engineering and infrastructure repair in New Orleans after Hurricane KatrinaCivil engineering and infrastructure repair in New Orleans after Hurricane KatrinaThough Hurricane Katrina did not deal the city of New Orleans a direct hit on August 29, 2005, her storm surge precipitated catastrophic failures of the levees and flood walls. The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet breached its levees in approximately 20 places...
- Criticism of government response to Hurricane KatrinaCriticism of government response to Hurricane KatrinaThe criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina consisted primarily of condemnations of mismanagement and lack of preparation in the relief effort in response to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Specifically, there was a delayed response to the flooding of New Orleans, Louisiana...
- Political effects of Hurricane KatrinaPolitical effects of Hurricane KatrinaCommentators have discussed the likely effects of the disaster on a wide range of political issues.-Political controversies and electoral consequences:Political disputes have arisen over several issues:-Issues relating to the cause of the damage to New Orleans:...
- Levees.org - Non profit in New Orleans holding the Army Corps accountable for their flood protection nationwide