Recently in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina we saw complete devestation to the enchanted Gulf Coast and what followed in New Orleans was indeed complete horror indeed. We saw a near waste case scenario as the Levee broke in several places on the Lake Pontchartrain side and began filling up areas of the city, which were below the lake level. The clean water, which flowed in the city flooded those low-lying areas and immediately became polluted with dead bodies, human waste, chemicals and debris.

The EPA has measured the water for pollution and their conclusions were indeed what we all knew. Not only was the pollution so far beyond acceptable levels, but the water under which was one foot above the surface had little or no oxygen in the water. Water; which lacks oxygen being pumped back into the lake is very un-healthy for life in the lake. Some have called the New Orleans Soup Bowl a Toxic Superfund Site at best. One of the biggest problems from polluted water and organic decay which is lose in the lake is that it robs the water of oxygen needed for life. All that water has now been pumped back into Lake Pontchartrain, meaning now the Lake is polluted and lacks oxygen.

I propose designing a new innovative way to put oxygen into the water in areas, which have very low oxygen levels. I propose a drag net, which has holes in it that is lowered into the water from a boat or from two boats. Air from the surface is force fed into hollow towing lines, which are connected to the drag net. The drag net of course also being hollow and as it is dragged through the water with weights on the bottom to keep it down, it pushes the air into the water. The system stays air fed thru the relative wind from the forward moving boats with additional air pumps assisting as needed. Since the hollow net has small holes in it allowing air into the lake various depths it will act as a giant grid and makes sure all levels of the lake get the oxygen it needs.

There must be better ways to re-oxygenate the water evenly and quickly; this is only one idea, using surface boats. We could very well used autonomous underwater vehicles, which tow small systems, which would be connected to a floating system on the surface and use a snorkel system to put air into the system. We need to be thinking here.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/