The first order of business, as usual, is the levees. There are already some massive levees in New Orleans, most noticeably along the Mississippi River. These were funded and built in response to the first disastrous flooding of the city in 1927. Now, say the engineers, it's time to bulk up the others.

Among the options being floated by USACE is to simply raise existing levees to withstand a storm surge in Lake Pontchartrain caused by a Category 5 hurricane, says Alfred Naomi, a USACE project supervisor.

A second option is to raise the levees only on the edges of the city and build gates on the canals to keep the surge at bay, giving extra protection to the city zones along the canals while creating a safe haven for ships.

Naomi, for his part, prefers yet another plan, one that would involve building tens of miles of brand-new Category 5 levee east of the city and up the eastern side of Lake Pontchartrain.

This new levee would keep a storm surge from getting into the lake from the Gulf of Mexico. Without Gulf waters, the existing Category 3 levees along the north side of the city would be adequate for keeping out the lake, he says.

"You move the fight from the backyards of people's homes," explained Naomi. "And it gives you another line of defense." With an unlimited budget, he figures this plan could be accomplished in about ten years.

Regardless of the levee project that's eventually chosen, bigger, stronger levees won't be cheap and some will require reinforced foundations, depending on the geological conditions underfoot, says Naomi.

NEXT: The Good Ship New Orleans