Touching on the flood disaster, he said, "Our well-to-do people will also have to come forward and make contributions through a one-time flood surcharge.

"For example, we could push through a sales tax, introduce a flood surcharge on well-to-do people and get some leeway from the IMF and support from the international community."

Thus, the flood surcharge portion of the water from the Mississippi is divided between the main river and the diversion channel; with the surcharge bypassing the New Orleans metropolitan area, resulting in the Mississippi being lower (through that area) than it could have been; and reducing the stress on the area's levees that line the river.