How Can I Utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) To Analyze The Relationship Between 19th-century Urban Infrastructure Development And The Changing Flood Risk Landscape In Low-lying Coastal Cities, Such As New Orleans, In The Context Of The 1893 Cheniere Caminada Hurricane, Which Devastated The Region And Led To Significant Modifications In Levee Design And Flood Control Policies?

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To analyze the relationship between 19th-century urban infrastructure development and flood risk changes in New Orleans, focusing on the 1893 Cheniere Caminada hurricane, follow these organized steps:

  1. Data Collection:

    • Historical Maps: Obtain 19th-century maps of New Orleans from sources like the Library of Congress or local archives.
    • Infrastructure Data: Gather historical records on levees, canals, and drainage systems from city records or historical documents.
    • Flood Risk Data: Collect historical flood event records from newspapers, government reports, and NOAA archives for hurricane data.

  2. Georeferencing:

    • Use GIS tools like QGIS or ArcGIS to align historical maps with modern coordinates, ensuring accurate spatial comparison.

  3. GIS Setup:

    • Create layers in GIS for historical infrastructure, flood zones, and hurricane impact areas.
    • Use spatial analysis tools to assess how infrastructure changes affected flood risks.

  4. Environmental and Socio-Economic Factors:

    • Incorporate data on environmental changes (wetland loss, subsidence) from sources like USGS.
    • Integrate socio-economic data from historical census records to analyze differential impacts.

  5. Analysis and Visualization:

    • Perform spatial analysis to identify correlations between infrastructure development and flood risk.
    • Create visualizations (maps, charts) to illustrate findings effectively.

  6. Presentation:

    • Prepare a report or paper discussing the influence of 19th-century infrastructure on flood risks and the impact of the 1893 hurricane on policy changes.

  7. Skill Development and Considerations:

    • Engage with online resources to learn GIS skills as needed.
    • Address potential data accuracy issues and acknowledge limitations in the analysis.

By systematically gathering, analyzing, and presenting the data, you can provide a comprehensive understanding of how historical infrastructure affected flood risks and led to policy modifications post-hurricane.