Expert Panel on Greater New Orleans Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System Design Guidelines

An independent technical peer review was conducted of the design guidelines used to develop the New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS). In 2007, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) developed HSDRRS Design Guidelines (HSDRRS-DG) to ensure that consistent state-of-practice techniques were used in engineering, designing, and constructing the components of the system. As the HSDRRS design and construction process moved forward, USACE granted several waivers to address construction schedules, resources, and costs constraints. The peer review panel consisted of six technical experts familiar with the HSDRRS and the state-of-practice for the design of coastal and riverine flood-protection systems. This panel was tasked with the following objectives: assess the assumptions and analysis approaches in the 2007 HSDRRS-DG, and whether it is consistent and appropriate within the current state-of-practice of engineering; and assess the justification for exceptions and waivers, and whether it could result in an impact on component and system performance, operations and maintenance, risk, or reliability.  This report presents the results from the panel’s effort.