...surge was reported at 17 to 20 ft in St. Bernard Parish, on the Gulf of Mexico south and east of the city, Naomi says. "It was 7 to 8 ft in Lake Pontchartrain," he adds. "Thats preliminary data. Many of our gauges were washed away."
Another major structure damaged was the Superdome, whose roof membranereplaced in 2000was partially stripped away. It was not structurally compromised by the loss of two roof panels blown off by the winds, says Larry Griffis, long-span expert and president of the Structures Division of Walter P. Moore & Associates, Austin, Texas.