How New Orleans Sank Below Sea Level and What's Being Done
Provided by: Grist |Published on: April 27, 2021
Videos
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Synopsis
This video from Grist describes how human-made seawalls, levees, and water pumps have caused New Orleans to sink below sea level over the past century.
The video highlights the disproportionate effect this has had on low-income and minority neighborhoods.
The video ends by discussing neighborhood and city-wide initiatives used to reduce the risk of flooding in New Orleans.
The video makes references to Hurricane Katrina and the Mississippi River.
The video draws attention to a variety of injustices, especially those affecting black communities.
The video can be used in a wide variety of subjects, as it connects science, history, geography, and social-justice issues.
Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with the location of New Orleans and the Mississippi River.
It may be helpful to introduce students to basic concepts such as groundwater, infiltration, and subsidence.
There may be an ad before the video.
Differentiation & Implementation
This resource can be used in a science class to discuss unique characteristics of river deltas or to demonstrate the need for nature-based solutions to flooding.
This resource can be used in a geography or history class to discuss how settlement patterns were shaped by the natural geography of the area.
This video can be used to introduce a conversation about environmental justice issues in New Orleans and beyond.
