River flooding could close highways, potentially top levees and threaten some homes and businesses.
The ASCE thought that America's water and sewage systems, inland waterways and levees were equally dilapidated, and that its schools, dams, airports, public transport and hazardous-waste disposal were in only slightly better shape.
The broken levees are being fixed, and water is even being pumped out.
After Hurricane Katrina, for example, she threatened to block every one of George Bush's nominees for important jobs until Uncle Sam gave Louisiana $6 billion to repair the levees.
If he managed to persuade Congress to regurgitate the pork in the transport bill, that would go a long way towards paying for rebuilding the levees.
With 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of the delta's lightly compacted levees in constant need of repair, it could take only one big earthquake to cause flooding on a scale not seen since Hurricane Katrina devastated the low-lying wards of New Orleans.
Meanwhile, the projected rise in the sea-level not only threatens the levees directly, but is likely to push saltwater further into the delta and affect the quality of the water for agriculture and drinking.
The Corps of Engineers, meanwhile, has failed to produce plans for higher levees and coastal restoration that would provide so-called "Category 5" protection, as Congress has demanded.Louisianans hope that the national infrastructure campaign Barack Obama wants to implement will include a healthy dose of levee- and wetland-building.
But the federal government, while conceding that its old levees were sub-standard, has not given the kind of "never again" assurances backed up with real money that might foster confidence in the region.Leadership has lagged at local level, too.
He argues that earmarks make it impossible for politicians to prioritise: they explain why the New Orleans levees were allowed to crumble but money was appropriated for unnecessary bridges.
When New Orleans flooded, some speculated that the government had blown up the levees.
