Topography-based Analysis of Hurricane Katrina Inundation of New Orleans

Lidar is a remote sensing technology that collects detailed, high-precision measurements of land elevation. Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey has collected election data into the National Elevation Dataset. The elevation measurements were already added to NED before hurricane Katrina struck, so they were able to have the data available immediately after hurricane Katrina.

                                          

The figure above shows the elevation data collected using Lidar. This representation shows Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River to be higher than the land in the middle of the city, which is referring to the bowl shape of New Orleans. Often Lidar incorrectly measures areas over water, so the elevation of the water surface is inferred with areas surrounding it. 

I have acted with honesty and integrity in producing this work and am unaware of anyone who has not. Nataley Ford

Gesch, D. (2005). Topography-based analysis of Hurricane Katrina inundation of New Orleans. Science and the Storms: the USGS Response to the Hurricanes of, 53-56.