When New Orleans was settled
New Orleans was settled by the French in 1718. The land close to the Mississippi River was 14 feet above sea level, but most of the rest of the city is about 6 feet below sea level. When the city was settled, it was after the rainy season, so settlers did not realize that the city flooded every year. This site was chosen because it was where the river was closest to Lake Pontchartrain.