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Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal talks with Col. Murray Starkel, deputy commander of the New
Orleans District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Orleans District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Army Corps Admits to Knowing Little of Levees
by
findingDulcinea Staff
by Isabel Cowles
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does not know the condition of thousands of the nations levees, some areas’ only defense against floods.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does not know the condition of thousands of the nations levees, some areas’ only defense against floods.
30-Second Summary
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that it is not aware of the condition of most levees across the country. According to the Associated Press, the corps “lacks an inventory of thousands of [levees] and has no idea of their condition.”
The flood systems originally built in the United States were constructed to protect against small-scale flooding and are not meant to guard against large-scale natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, explains levee expert Robert Bea of the University of California at Berkeley.
The Army Corps of Engineers oversees about 2,000 of America’s levees, while thousands of others are under private management. But before the Army Corps can begin necessary updates and repairs on America’s flooding infrastructure, it must locate and analyze all of the existing levees.
The weakness of existing levees has come under scrutiny since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, when levee walls broke and floods engulfed New Orleans. Additionally, in January of 2007, the Army Corps of Engineers identified at least 146 levees that would not adequately protect cities from flooding.
In March of 2007, Congress proposed a bill aimed at tightening the U.S. levee system, which would include more consistent reviews of national levees and the creation of a levee review board. The bill has not been addressed since March 21, 2007.
The flood systems originally built in the United States were constructed to protect against small-scale flooding and are not meant to guard against large-scale natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, explains levee expert Robert Bea of the University of California at Berkeley.
The Army Corps of Engineers oversees about 2,000 of America’s levees, while thousands of others are under private management. But before the Army Corps can begin necessary updates and repairs on America’s flooding infrastructure, it must locate and analyze all of the existing levees.
The weakness of existing levees has come under scrutiny since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, when levee walls broke and floods engulfed New Orleans. Additionally, in January of 2007, the Army Corps of Engineers identified at least 146 levees that would not adequately protect cities from flooding.
In March of 2007, Congress proposed a bill aimed at tightening the U.S. levee system, which would include more consistent reviews of national levees and the creation of a levee review board. The bill has not been addressed since March 21, 2007.
Headline Link: ‘Army Corps says Condition of many levees a mystery’
The Army Corps has announced that it is unaware of the condition of most American levees. The Army Corps’ special assistant for dam and levee safety, Eric Halpin, stated, "We have to get our arms around this issue and understand how many levees there are in the country, who's watching over them, what populations and properties are behind them.” Experts suspect that rust, poor infrastructure and inadequate design have rendered thousands of levees ineffectual against large-scale storms and hurricanes.
Source: Newsday (Associated Press)
Background: U.S. levees prove faulty
In September 2005, a month after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Louisiana’s top hurricane experts concluded that the storm should have been kept at bay by the levee system in place. The Washington Post reported that “faulty design, inadequate construction or some combination of the two [was] the likely cause of … the flooding of most of New Orleans.”
Source: The Washington Post (free registration may be required)
In January of 2007, the Army Corps of Engineers identified 146 levees at risk of collapsing in a flood. According to a report from USA Today, if those levees are not repaired, residents who live in areas with inadequate levees will have to buy flood insurance that costs hundreds of dollars a year to protect their homes.
Source: USA Today
Historical Context: ‘A Century of Floods’
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides statistical data about floods in the United States during the 20th century.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Related Topics: Current measures to reinforce U.S. flooding infrastructure
A bill was introduced to the House in March 2007 to reinforce the current U.S. levee system. The bill suggests a thorough and consistent inspection of levees and a regular national levee inventory, as well as the creation of a national levee safety review board and safety program. The bill has been referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment and has not been addressed by the House since March 21, 2007.
Source: Washington Watch
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for handling major natural disasters in the U.S.. Although the organization was accused of mismanagement during Hurricane Katrina, its Web site provides worthwhile information on flood relief and insurance.
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Levees.org is a private organization dedicated to improving the condition of U.S. levees, and to raising nationwide awareness of the risks and role associated with flood protection engineering.
Source: Levees.org
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