Ninth Ward

The Ninth Ward is a region of New Orleans that, due to its low-lying geography and close proximity to the Mississippi River, is prone to flooding. The Ninth Ward suffered severe flood damage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In August, 2008, city residents evacuated the ward well in advance of Hurricane Gustav.The Independent: The city that fears the worst – again (September 1, 2008)USAToday.com: 9th Ward levee status updates (September 1, 2008)

A levee is a wall or embankment designed to keep water out of an area, or to divert water from an area. A large part of the reason that the Ninth Ward flooded was because the levees broke.The Independent: The city that fears the worst – again (September 1, 2008) As of September 1, 2008, as Gustav made landfall, the levees were holding, although they were so full of water that some of the water was spilling into the ward.USAToday.com: 9th Ward levee status updates (September 1, 2008)