Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans and surrounding areas in August 2005, ranks as one of the nation's most devastating natural disasters. Shortly after the storm, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers established a task force to assess the performance of the levees, floodwalls, and other structures comprising the area's hurricane protection system during Hurricane Katrina. This book provides an independent review of the task force's final draft report and identifies key lessons from the Katrina experience and their implications for future hurricane preparedness and planning in the region.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for assessing the science related to climate change. It provides policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of human-induced climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. This IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate is the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the observed and projected changes to the ocean and cryosphere and their associated impacts and risks, with a focus on resilience, risk management response options, and adaptation measures, considering both their potential and limitations. It brings together knowledge on physical and biogeochemical changes, the interplay with ecosystem changes, and the implications for human communities. It serves policymakers, decision makers, stakeholders, and all interested parties with unbiased, up-to-date, policy-relevant information. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

In a world experiencing increasingly intense hydrometeorological events driven by climate change, the need for effective solutions is paramount. Modeling and Monitoring Extreme Hydrometeorological Events presents a cutting-edge exploration of the challenges posed by flash droughts and floods, offering innovative methodologies and tools to address these global issues. Through a combination of computer modeling, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and case studies, this book provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and mitigating the impacts of extreme hydrometeorological events. It examines the rapid emergence of flash droughts, which bring devastating consequences to agriculture, water resources, ecosystems, and public health. The book also delves into the complex dynamics of flash floods, exploring their causes, impacts, and potential solutions. With a focus on water management, the book addresses knowledge gaps, provides adaptation and mitigation strategies, and emphasizes the importance of climate change considerations. It aims to empower scientists, policymakers, professionals, and educators to develop effective policies and decision-making frameworks to combat the increasing risks posed by extreme hydrometeorological events. Written by a diverse team of experts in hydrology, hydrometeorology, emergency management, civil engineering, and related fields, this book offers valuable insights and practical tools for researchers, professors, graduate students, policymakers, and professionals.

A comprehensive model of Coastall currents and sediment dispersion has been formulated and applied to the Mississippi Sound and adjacent continental shelf waters. The study combines mathematical modeling of various hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes with laboratory and field experiments. Of primary importance is the development of an efficient and comprehensive three-dimensional, finite-difference model of Coastal, Estuarine, and Lake Currents (CELC3D). The model resolves currents driven by tide, wind, and density gradient. It has been applied to the Mississippi Sound, and results agree well with measured surface displacements and currents during two episodes. Rates of entrainment and deposition of the Mississippi Sound sediments have been studied in a laboratory flume. Effects of (1) bottom shear stress, (2) bed properties, (3) salinity of water, and (4) sediment type on the erodability of sediments have been examined. Results of the laboratory study have been incorporated into the bottom boundary conditions for a three-dimensional sediment dispersion model. Gravitational settling and particle size distribution of the Mississippi Sound sediments were also studied in laboratories. Bottom boundary layer dynamics and wave effect on sediment dispersion have been studied by means of a turbulent transport model and a wave model. Model simulations of sediment dispersion in the Mississippi Sound agree well available data from ship surveys. (Author).

Hydro-Meteorological Hazards, Risks, and Disasters, 2e, provides an integrated look at the major disasters that have had, and continue to have, major implications for many of the world's people, such as floods and droughts. This new edition takes a geoscientific approach to the topic, while also covering current thinking about some scientific issues that are socially relevant and can directly affect human lives and assets. This new edition showcases both academic and applied research conducted in developed and developing countries, allowing readers to see the most updated flood and drought modeling research and their applications in the real world, including for humanitarian emergency purposes. Hydro-Meteorological Hazards, Risks, and Disasters, 2e, also contains new insights about how climate change affects hazardous processes. For the first time, information on the many diverse topics relevant to professionals is aggregated into one volume. It is a valuable reference to researchers, graduates, scientists, physical geographers, urban planners, landscape architects, and other people who work on the build environments of the world. - Cutting-edge discussion of natural hazard topics that affect the lives and livelihoods of millions of people worldwide - Includes numerous full-color tables, GIS maps, diagrams, illustrations, and photographs of hazardous process in action - Provides case studies of prominent hydro-meteorological hazards and disasters