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In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and
Wilma, the Office of History has compiled a list of resources to help place the events of
the 2005 storm season into historical perspective. As these documents show, the devastating effects of Katrina, Rita,
and Wilma were not isolated events, but are the most recent chapters in a long history of storm disasters and the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ response. Much of the following material was drawn from the
records collection of the Office of History. The Civil Works: Disaster files and the Civil Works: Image Inventory contain numerous documents and images relating to hurricane damage and recovery. The most relevant files are provided below. Links to additional sites
also are listed. All images are provided as low resolution JPEGs.
Roll cursor onto image for caption. |
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New Orleans District Histories Throughout the world, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ responsibilities are divided into local
divisions and districts. There are seven
divisions within the continental United States, one being the Mississippi Valley Division, which extends along the river from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The New Orleans District is one of six local districts within the Mississippi Valley Division. The New Orleans District constitutes all of southern Louisiana, from river mile marker 103 to the Gulf of Mexico. The Bayou Builders. A History of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 1976-2000. Draft of Chapter Four, “Weathering the Storm: New Orleans District and Hurricane Protection Projects.” Land’s End. A History of the New Orleans District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and its Lifelong Battle with the Lower Mississippi and other Rivers Wending their Way to the Sea. Part 2 deals specifically with flooding and the levee system. |
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Hurricane Andrew (August 1992) Andrew began as a tropical wave over the west coast of Africa on August 14, 1992 and developed into a tropical storm within three days. Andrew reached hurricane strength on August 22 and developed into a category 4 storm by the 23rd. The hurricane continued to strengthen and made landfall the next day over southern Florida as only the third category 5 storm to ever strike the United States. After devastating Florida, Andrew moved into the Gulf of Mexico before impacting the Louisiana coast on August 26 as a category 3 hurricane. Andrew produced dozens of tornadoes, storm surges of seventeen feet, and caused more than $26 billion in damages. Until Katrina in 2005, Andrew was the single costliest hurricane to affect the United States.
Forces Command: Hurricane Andrew Response Joint Task Force Andrew After-Action Report Hurricane Andrew Historical Report
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Tropical Storm Claudette (July 1979) Tropical Storm Claudette formed in the mid-Atlantic in
July 1979. The storm passed over Puerto Rico, through the Greater Antilles, and into the Gulf of Mexico. The storm made landfall near Port Arthur, Texas, nearly in the same location as Hurricane Rita in 2005. Claudette stalled over Alvin, Texas, on July 25 and dumped
forty-three inches of rain in twenty-four hours—the record twenty-four-hour rainfall amount in United States history. The subsequent flood damage topped $400 million, making Claudette one of the costliest non-hurricane-strength storms to ever strike the United States. |
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Tropical Storm Agnes (June 1972) Agnes developed over the Yucatan Peninsula and Gulf of Mexico before impacting Florida’s panhandle on June 19, 1972 as a category 1 hurricane. It weakened over Florida and Georgia with relatively minor damage in both states before exiting into the Atlantic Ocean on June 21. Agnes regained strength and made a northwesterly turn along the Carolina coast before making landfall as a strong tropical storm near New York City on June 22. The storm merged with a non-tropical low and produced widespread flooding from Virginia to New York. Some localized rainfall totals exceeded
nineteen inches, causing billions of dollars in flood damages along the eastern seaboard. At the time, Tropical Storm Agnes was believed to be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. The Corps Responds: A History of the Susquehanna Engineer District and Tropical Storm Agnes Impact, projects, and expenditures relating to Agnes damage and recovery |
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Hurricane Camille (August 1969) Hurricane Camille began as a tropical wave off of the African coast on August 5, 1969. The storm developed circulation near Grand Cayman on August 14 and quickly strengthened to a major hurricane by August 15 before hitting Cuba. The warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico created perfect conditions for the
storm as it gathered with estimated peak winds of 210 mph. Camille made landfall near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on the night of August 17, 1969. Camille dropped localized rainfall amounts of up to
thirty-one inches all the way into Virginia. It recorded the highest storm surge
(more than twenty-four feet) in the United States before Katrina in 2005. Camille killed 143 people along the Gulf coast and was responsible for extensive flooding, which claimed an additional 113 lives.
Nearly 9,000 people were injured and 5,662 homes were destroyed. The total damage estimate was $1.42 billion. Draft History of the Mobile District, 1974 Chapter 13: “The Mobile District Meets Crisis: Hurricane Camille.” By Virgil S. Davis. Mobile District disaster operations following Hurricane Camille Mobile District disaster operations exhibits 1 - 4 Report on Federal Disaster Assistance in 1969 |
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Hurricane Betsy (September 1965) Betsy developed east of the Windward Islands in late
August 1965. It tracked toward the Carolina coast as it developed into a tropical storm. When roughly 350 miles off of the Florida coast, the storm turned sharply to the southwest and passed over the Bahamas. On September 7, Betsy moved toward the Florida Keys as it intensified into a category 3 hurricane. It made landfall at Key Largo and headed west into the Gulf of Mexico, strengthening to a strong category 4 storm. Betsy made her second landfall on September 9 over Grand Isle, Louisiana, at just 1 mph below category 5 strength. The hurricane moved up the Mississippi River, causing the river to rise
ten feet at New Orleans. A storm surge moved into Lake Pontchartrain and overtopped and breeched levees, flooding much of the city, including the 9th Ward.
More than 160,000 homes were flooded along the Mississippi and Betsy became the first storm in
United States history to exceed $1 billion in damages. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Civil Works) Assistance in Relief and Rehabilitation Department of the Army Military Assistance in Relief and Rehabilitation Mobile District Disaster Activities Final Report Map of the areas affected by Hurricane Betsy, September 8-11, 1965
1982 GAO Report describing the progress of the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity, Louisiana, Hurricane Protection Project |
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