In terms of flooding, if N.O. does, indeed, flood until it is level with Lake P., then it IS the worst case scenario. That's as far as it can flood - it makes the city indistinguishable from the lake except for the buildings, elevated highways, power lines, etc., poking above the surface. The news media is doing an OK job of explaining this, but just from talking to friends and family, I still think a lot of people can't wrap their minds around it. This is not "normal" flooding. If the water is not pumped out (and I, too, don't know how this can happen if the water level in NO becomes even with that of Lake P - where do you pump it to??), this is the permanent expansion of a lake.

I guess what you mean is that the WORST case scenario would have been the "soup bowl" filling up much faster, which would have wiped out many of the survivors who have been rescued from roofs, attics, etc.

bad scenario, but this isn't worst case. worst case would have been surge topping the levees and levee failure during the height of the storm. deeper water/more damage/climbing onto roofs more dangerous. no, the big easy got a small favor by 15 miles or so. -HF