The volume of water being pumped out of New Orleans is diminishing, and that's good news, says Maj. George Stejic, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' task force draining the city.
Engineers have begun pumping water out of New Orleans, eight days after the Louisiana city was submerged by the deadly Hurricane Katrina.
MWI currently have 12 very large Hydraflo pumps on site to help dewater New Orleans. These 12 pumps have the capability to pump over 630,000 gallons per minute at a 10 foot head.
Engineers took the first steps Thursday to closing the 700-foot levee breach that flooded New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and Louisiana state officials said water removal from the stricken city could begin by Saturday.
42 inch pumps being assembled by contractors near the 17th Street Canal, Sunday, September 4. The portable pumps will add their water-removal capabilities to the extensive existing system of pumps that keep New Orleans dry under normal conditions.
Hydraflo pumps move floodwaters through the repaired 17th Street canal levee in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Wednesday in New Orleans.
As a handful of pumps toiled to drain the water out of a sprawling city today, the New Orleans police said they would force the 10,000 or so residents left in the city to leave and Louisiana officials warned of long-term damage to the area's environment.
As officials deal with the large human crisis from Hurricane Katrina, the Army Corps of Engineers is working on a plan to get rid of the floodwaters drowning New Orleans.
David Eller's phones started ringing Monday. As the head of one of the country's largest water pump companies, he knew his employees and equipment would be called upon in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.