Seventeen of the playgrounds were flooded as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Although Audubon Park was not flooded, it was sampled at the request of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

The agencies began collecting samples from these parks July 5, and completed the sampling on July 12. The results of the samples were compared to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program residential screening level of 400 mg/kg lead.

The majority of the samples were below the screening level of 400 mg/kg. Some samples exceeded those levels but they were consistent with lead levels in soil reported in studies conducted prior to the hurricanes.

The results have been provided to the New Orleans Health Department.