Posted 10:07 AM by Gene

Corps senior project engineer Al Naomi said they would bring in more sandbags on Wednesday and perhaps build a temporary dam around the breach.

But the biggest ally in the fight to save the city may be nature itself, he said.

"The flow has pretty much eased mainly because the lake is dropping in elevation," Naomi told Reuters.

In 36 hours, the lake, which was whipped high by the storm, should return to normal levels and the water now flooding New Orleans would begin to drain, Naomi said.

He said the historic French Quarter, the hallmark of New Orleans and the main draw for its huge tourist industry, should escape with only minor flooding because it sits five feet above sea level.

I don't want to be a babbling blithering optimist, but there MUST be a hopeful side to this story. Whether we'll get it is another matter as NEWS HACKS bury hope much as they bury CONSERVATIVES and REPUBLICANS. (This was near the END of the story.)