New Orleans Faces Rising Seas; Engineers Turn To Bentley Digital Tech To Fortify Defenses

• Proeksa Meas
• 31 May 2026
• Construction Focus
• 838 Views

US engineers are leveraging Bentley Systems’ advanced technology to secure that the city will not sink into the water, transforming Louisiana into a potential global model for climate adaptation.

A new Tulane University study has recently warned that rising sea levels could eventually push the Gulf of Mexico shoreline 62 miles inland, placing New Orleans underwater.

While the exact timeline remains uncertain, to safeguard critical infrastructure, local engineering firm Forte & Tablada has begun digitizing the region’s flood defenses using Bentley Systems software.

The firm successfully created a “digital twin”—a precise virtual model—of the 17th Street Canal Pump Station, a vital component of New Orleans’ flood control system.

Engineers use Bentley’s software to continuously monitor, maintain, and smarter operate these complex, large-scale industrial assets and coastal networks. The primary benefit of this digital twin technology is that it provides operators with real-time data, allowing them to simulate severe flooding conditions and make faster, more informed decisions during critical storm events.

By digitizing infrastructure along the Mississippi River, authorities can better modernize safeguards, predict structural needs, and ensure the city stays dry amid a rapidly changing climate.

• Bentley
• Digital Twin
• Bentley Systems