On Aug. 31, 2005, two men paddled past a bridge in New Orleans's Lower Ninth Ward. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Earlier this month, the same bridge was open for business. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images for The Wall Street Journal)

On Oct. 12, 2005, Reggie Singleton dumped a load of sheet rock in the street as he worked to gut his house in the Lower Ninth Ward. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

By late August of this year, some houses in the neighborhood still stood, while others had been demolished. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images for The Wall Street Journal)

On Aug. 30, 2005, Canal Street, in the heart of New Orleans, was covered by several feet of water. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)