EvolutionEvolution ofof thethe LeveeLevee SystemSystem AlongAlong thethe LowerLower MississippiMississippi RiverRiver J.J. DavidDavid Rogers,Rogers, Ph.D.,Ph.D., P.E.,P.E., R.G.R.G. NaturalNatural HazardsHazards MitigationMitigation InstituteInstitute DepartmentDepartment ofof GeologicalGeological EngineeringEngineering UniversityUniversity ofof MissouriMissouri--RollaRolla ...Ten...Ten thousandthousand RiverRiver Commissions...cannotCommissions...cannot tametame thatthat lawlesslawless stream...cannotstream...cannot saysay toto it,it, "Go"Go here,"here," oror "Go"Go there,"there," andand makemake itit obey.obey. -- MarkMark TwainTwain INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

„ TheThe leveelevee systemsystem hashas beenbeen presentpresent alongalong thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver sincesince thethe firstfirst EuropeansEuropeans settledsettled thethe region,region, butbut itsits designdesign hashas changedchanged manymany timestimes sincesince thatthat firstfirst levee.levee. „ TheThe changeschanges werewere broughtbrought aboutabout mainlymainly byby flooding,flooding, whichwhich inin turnturn drovedrove otherother factorsfactors suchsuch asas costscosts andand politics.politics. „ TechnologyTechnology hashas alsoalso playedplayed aa rolerole inin thisthis development.development. LEVEESLEVEES

„ Earthen embankments built on the natural levees parallel to the river channel and designed to protect the area behind it from high flows in the main channel „ Levees must be high enough to prevent overtopping and broad enough to resist deterioration from hydraulic piping

OVERTOPPINGOVERTOPPING

Levees are often overtopped where they have experienced differential settlement; generally where underlain by soft soils, such as old oxbow fills or peaty bulrush marsh deposits. CREVASSECREVASSE isis thethe termterm appliedapplied toto breaksbreaks wherewhere underseepageunderseepage hashas causedcaused thethe leveelevee toto collapsecollapse SCOUR

Scour from local eddified flow often occurs at steep drops, around, or over flow obstructions, as shown here. MississippiMississippi RiverRiver DrainageDrainage BasinBasin

„ TheThe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver drainsdrains 4141 percentpercent ofof thethe continentalcontinental UnitedUnited States,States, stretchingstretching fromfrom MontanaMontana andand CanadaCanada toto westernwestern NewNew York.York. „ TheThe basinbasin coverscovers moremore thanthan 1,245,0001,245,000 squaresquare miles,miles, includesincludes allall oror partsparts ofof 3131 statesstates andand twotwo CanadianCanadian provincesprovinces Areas subject to flooding along the Lower Mississippi shown in pink YouYou hardlyhardly everever seesee thethe river,river, butbut thethe leveelevee isis alwaysalways closeclose by,by, aa greatgreat greengreen serpentserpent runningrunning throughthrough woods,woods, swamps,swamps, andand farms,farms, withwith townstowns nestlingnestling closeclose toto itsits slopes.slopes. TheThe leveelevee isis unobtrusive,unobtrusive, sincesince itsits slopeslope isis greengreen andand gradual,gradual, butbut inin factfact itit isis immenseimmense ---- higherhigher andand longerlonger thanthan thethe GreatGreat WallWall ofof China,China, veryvery likelylikely thethe biggestbiggest thingthing thatthat manman hashas everever made....Itmade....It waswas thethe principalprincipal humanhuman responseresponse toto thethe titanictitanic powerpower ofof thethe greatgreat river.river. ---- AlanAlan Lomax,Lomax, TheThe LandLand WhereWhere thethe BluesBlues BeganBegan FIRSTFIRST MANMAN--MADEMADE LEVEELEVEE

„ LeveeLevee constructionconstruction beganbegan withwith thethe firstfirst settlerssettlers alongalong thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver „ BetweenBetween 17181718--2727 aa leveelevee waswas builtbuilt aroundaround NewNew OrleansOrleans modelingmodeling thosethose inin FranceFrance „ It was 5400 ft long ,18 ft wide at the crown with a roadway 4 ft high, and had a slope of 1:2 EARLYEARLY LEVEELEVEE CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION

„ StateState governmentsgovernments mademade itit policypolicy thatthat farmersfarmers builtbuilt theirtheir ownown leveeslevees alongalong thethe areasareas theythey ownedowned alongalong thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver „ HaulHaul methodsmethods wouldwould yieldyield 1010--1212 cubiccubic ydsyds perper dayday withwith aa haulhaul limitlimit ofof 7575 feetfeet EARLYEARLY LEVEELEVEE CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION

Trapezoidal Levee URBANURBAN LEVEESLEVEES

Levee construction at New Orleans in 1863, during the Civil War. RAISINGRAISING LEVEESLEVEES

The levees along the lower Mississippi had to be heightened continuously between 1850 and 1927 because the bed of the Mississippi River elevated itself, because of increased confinement, caused by levee construction. EarlyEarly FederalFederal LegislationLegislation

„ In 1820 the first Federal Government involvement along the Mississippi River focused on navigation, not flood control „ Disastrous floods along the lower Mississippi and its tributaries in 1844, 1849, and 1850 resulted in the Swamp Acts of 1849-1850 SwampSwamp ActsActs ofof 18491849--18501850

„ First federal involvement for flood StateState LandLand GivenGiven control along the (sq.(sq. mi.)mi.) Mississippi River IllinoisIllinois 2,2772,277 „ First Act gave Louisiana all swamp MissouriMissouri 5,2305,230 and overflow lands within its boundaries ArkansasArkansas 12,01012,010 that were unfit for cultivation MississippiMississippi 5,1415,141 „ Second Act did the same for Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, and LouisianaLouisiana 14,74014,740 Mississippi SwampSwamp ActsActs ofof 18491849--18501850

„ The lands were to be sold to the public and the money generated to be used to construct levees and drainage for the reclamation of the lands „ Lack of coordination between states and levee districts resulted in the levee lines being a failure

State Levee Design Criteria Louisiana Crown 1/3 of base Side slope 1:2 Arkansas Height = 30” above overflow Crown width = height Base width = 7 x height Mississippi Side slope 1:6 on riverside 1:2.5 on landside LeveesLevees areare anan inherentinherent liabilityliability 18501850 MississippiMississippi RiverRiver SurveysSurveys

„ In 1850 Congress appropriated $50,000 to conduct two hydrographic and topographic surveys of the Mississippi River; one by a civilian and the other by a civilian „ One survey was conducted by Army Engineers A. A. Humphreys and Henry L. Abbot, but was not completed till 1861 „ Civilian engineer Charles Ellet Jr. was also authorized to prepare an independent survey, completed in 1852 „ The Humphreys-Abbot report considered three methods of flood protection: „ Cutting off bends in the river „ Diversion of tributaries and creating artificial reservoirs and outlets „ Confining the river to its channel (the levee system) „ The conclusion was that the first two options were too costly and provided little advantage, thus the third option was recommended „ Their levee design called for freeboards 3- 11 feet above the 1858 flood DETERIORATIONDETERIORATION ofof LEVEESLEVEES

„ The Civil War left the levees along the river in disrepair, exacerbated by severe floods in 1862 and 1865 „ The 1867 flood caused an additional $3.9 million of damage to the levees, estimated that 9.75 million cu. yd. of fill would be needed to repair the levees „ 1874 flood resulted in the creation of a “Levee Commission” to survey the system and submit a plan for reclamation of the Alluvial Valley The most cited failure modes for levees include underseepage, hydraulic piping, and overtopping. In actuality, excessive uplifting seepage on the landside toe probably triggers mass liquefaction, which triggers extensive bearing capacity failure, which then causes a catastrophic slope failure. In this manner, 100 to 2000 lineal feet of levee can collapse in a few seconds; which is the usual pattern. MISSISSIPPIMISSISSIPPI LEVEELEVEE COMMISSIONCOMMISSION

„ EstimatedEstimated itit wouldwould taketake $3.5$3.5 millionmillion (8(8 millionmillion cu.cu. yd.yd. ofof fill)fill) toto repairrepair thethe leveeslevees „ ItIt wouldwould taketake $46$46 millionmillion (115(115 millionmillion cu.cu. yd.yd. ofof fill)fill) toto buildbuild thethe entireentire leveelevee systemsystem „ DeterminedDetermined 55 defectsdefects inin thethe leveelevee system:system: „ ViciousVicious leveelevee organizationorganization „ InsufficientInsufficient leveelevee heightheight „ InjudiciousInjudicious crosscross--sectionsection andand constructionconstruction „ InadequateInadequate inspectioninspection andand guardingguarding „ FaultyFaulty locationslocations StSt LouisLouis Levee,Levee, 18671867 MISSISSIPPIMISSISSIPPI RIVERRIVER COMMISSIONCOMMISSION--18791879

„ The Mississippi River Commission was created by an Act of Congress in 1879 „ GenerGeneralal Humphreys argued against the MRC covering flood control, because he thought the Corps of Engineers should control the river „ Others argued that flood control should be a state issue „ Flood control was looked at as an integral part of river navigation „ According to the MRC, the greatest detriment to levees was river instability and bank caving CompositionComposition ofof thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver CommissionCommission (MRC)(MRC)

„ Legislation pushed by James B. Eads „ 7 members appointed by the President „ 3 officers from Corps of Engineers; one of whom serves as chair and another as secretary „ 3 civilians (at least 2 civil engineers) „ 1 US Coast and Geodetic Survey (now NOAA) Brevet Major General Quincy A. Gillmore MississippiMississippi RiverRiver CommissionCommission (MRC)(MRC)

„ The study of and reporting upon the necessity for modifications or additions to the flood control and navigation project „ Recommendation of policy and work programs „ Recommendation upon any matters authorized by law, inspection trips, and holding public hearings MRCMRC ‘‘LeveesLevees OnlyOnly’’ PolicyPolicy ofof 18821882

„ ConstructionConstruction ofof aa leveelevee lineline withwith gradegrade sufficientsufficient toto containcontain thethe frequentfrequent floodsfloods wouldwould resultresult inin ““selfself--cleansingcleansing”” ofof thethe riverriver „ TheThe closureclosure ofof newnew breaksbreaks shouldshould bebe completedcompleted first,first, asas oldold breaksbreaks hadhad alreadyalready donedone theirtheir maximummaximum damagedamage toto thethe navigationnavigation MississippiMississippi RiverRiver FloodFlood ofof 18901890

„ 5656 milesmiles ofof leveeslevees destroyeddestroyed „ TheThe MRCMRC adoptedadopted thethe floodflood ofof 18901890 asas thethe designdesign flowflow lineline forfor leveeslevees „ ResultedResulted inin manymany leveeslevees needingneeding toto bebe raisedraised fromfrom 3838 toto 4646 feetfeet MRCMRC LeveeLevee StandardStandard

„ CrownCrown WidthWidth 88 feetfeet „ RiversideRiverside slopeslope 1:31:3 „ LandsideLandside slopeslope „ 1:3 to height of 8’, then 1: 1:10 to height of 20’, then 1:4

Banquette Levee BANKBANK REVETMENTSREVETMENTS

„ 19001900--19101910 „ 53 million cubic yards added by Federal Government „ 73 million cubic yards added by private citizens „ 21% (27 million cubic yards lost from bank caving and erosion „ MRCMRC enactedenacted thethe bankbank revetmentrevetment policypolicy toto stavestave offoff thethe losseslosses EarlyEarly FascineFascine ScourScour ProtectionProtection MattingMatting MississippiMississippi RiverRiver FloodFlood ofof 19121912

„ 47%47% ofof thethe leveeslevees aboveabove VicksburgVicksburg werewere stillstill subsub--par,par, belowbelow MRCMRC’’ss 18901890 standardstandard „ 53%53% ofof thethe leveeslevees onon thethe tributariestributaries werewere subsub--parpar MississippiMississippi RiverRiver FloodFlood ofof 19121912

„ ResultedResulted inin anan increaseincrease inin thethe leveelevee gradegrade andand designdesign crosscross sectionsection byby 19141914 „ GradeGrade 33’’ aboveabove 19121912 floodlinefloodline „ BanquetteBanquette 33’’ –– 88’’ belowbelow crown;crown; widthwidth 2020’’ –– 4040’’ STRUCTURALSTRUCTURAL REVETMENTSREVETMENTS

„ DueDue toto thethe highhigh costcost ofof bankbank stabilizationstabilization thethe MRCMRC changedchanged theirtheir policypolicy „ LeveeLevee locationlocation wouldwould nownow bebe usedused toto countercounter bankbank cavingcaving „ ConcreteConcrete mattingmatting (riverside)(riverside) andand sheetsheet pilingpiling (foundations)(foundations) wouldwould bebe usedused whenwhen aa leveelevee couldcould notnot easilyeasily bebe movedmoved backback MRCMRC SpanSpan ofof ControlControl WidensWidens

„ InIn 19061906 thethe MRCMRC plannedplanned leveeslevees fromfrom CapeCape Girardeau,Girardeau, MOMO southsouth „ InIn 19131913 MRCMRC jurisdictionjurisdiction waswas extendedextended northnorth toto RockRock Island,Island, ILIL „ 19151915 MRCMRC waswas requiredrequired byby CongressCongress toto reportreport leveelevee expendituresexpenditures byby local/statelocal/state interestsinterests St.St. LouisLouis Levee,Levee, 19161916 FirstFirst FederalFederal FloodFlood ControlControl Act,Act, 19171917

„ TheThe FirstFirst FloodFlood ControlControl ActAct hadhad 33 provisionsprovisions pertainingpertaining toto leveeslevees „ Levees built for ffloodlood control were authorized for the first time „ Federal funds could be spent on levees on the tributaries „ Local interests must contribute at least 1/3 of the cost to all federally funded levees and the local interests must maintain the completed levees „ InIn 19221922 andand 19231923 MRCMRC authorityauthority waswas extendedextended toto covercover thethe tributariestributaries fromfrom thethe riverriver’’ss mouthmouth toto RockRock Island,Island, asas farfar asas theythey werewere affectedaffected byby floodflood waterswaters ofof thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver

MECHANIZATIONMECHANIZATION

The 1920s saw widespread adoption of mechanized earth moving technology being applied to flood control structures and flood plain drainage. CABLEWAYCABLEWAY DRAGLINESDRAGLINES REVOLUTIONIZEREVOLUTIONIZE LEVEELEVEE CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION TheThe GREATGREAT 19271927 FLOODFLOOD

„ GreatestGreatest floodflood ofof thethe lowerlower MississippiMississippi RiverRiver ValleyValley onon recordrecord „ FloodedFlooded 27,00027,000 squaresquare milesmiles „ DisplacedDisplaced 1,000,0001,000,000 people,people, includingincluding 325,000325,000 AfricanAfrican AmericansAmericans „ 11st timetime leveeslevees builtbuilt toto thethe MRCMRC standardsstandards failedfailed „ TriggeredTriggered massivemassive floodflood controlcontrol legislationlegislation

19281928 FederalFederal FloodFlood ControlControl ActAct

„ 1928 Flood Control Act (Mississippi Rivers and Tributaries) „ The Jadwin Plan called for improved levee grades and sections „ The concept of floodways was adopted „ Access roads would be made to inaccessible portions of the levees „ Railroad and highway crossings would be made when necessary „ Project flood developed by MRC and U.S. Weather Bureau NewNew LeveeLevee StandardsStandards AdoptedAdopted

„ Freeboard 1 foot above the project flood „ Reverted back to the trapezoidal design „ Riverside slope 1:3 – 1:5; Landside slope 1:6 – 1:8 „ Borrow pits are to be located on the riverside as opposed to past locations on the landside „ Levee design life increased from 20 years to 30 years based on levee location Major General Edgar Jadwin was Chief of the Corps of Engineers in 1928, so the Corps’ plan was named after him TheThe 19281928 PlanPlan CreatedCreated VastVast FloodwaysFloodways

„ TheThe passagepassage ofof excessexcess flowsflows pastpast criticalcritical reachesreaches ofof thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver throughthrough diverteddiverted zoneszones „ FloodwaysFloodways alongalong thethe Mississippi:Mississippi: „ Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway „ Morganza Floodway „ West Atchafalaya Floodway „ Bonnet Carre Floodway (spillway) BirdsBirds PointPoint--NewNew MadridMadrid FloodwayFloodway

„ TheThe floodwayfloodway variesvaries inin widthwidth fromfrom 33 toto 1010 miles,miles, hashas aa lengthlength ofof aboutabout 3535 milesmiles andand includesincludes anan areaarea ofof 210210 squaresquare miles.miles. ItIt isis designeddesigned toto divertdivert 550,000550,000 CFSCFS fromfrom thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver duringduring thethe projectproject floodflood „ FuseFuse plugplug leveelevee (almost(almost usedused inin 1993)1993) FuseFuse PlugPlug LeveeLevee

„ TheThe FuseFuse PlugPlug LeveeLevee isis lowerlower thanthan thethe adjacentadjacent levees.levees. IfIf thethe riverriver risesrises toto high,high, thenthen waterwater beginsbegins toto flowflow overover thethe fusefuse plugplug leveelevee ratherrather thanthan overover adjacentadjacent leveeslevees wherewhere itit wouldwould floodflood humanhuman habitations.habitations. „ OnceOnce waterwater beginsbegins toto flowflow overover thethe toptop ofof thethe FuseFuse PlugPlug Levee,Levee, itit quicklyquickly tearstears itit downdown untiluntil itit carriescarries aa designateddesignated maximummaximum flowflow rate.rate. „ ThisThis isis designeddesigned toto workwork onon itsits own,own, butbut ifif extremelyextremely critical,critical, itit cancan bebe dynamited.dynamited. MorganzaMorganza andand WestWest AtchafalayaAtchafalaya FloodwaysFloodways

„ TheThe AtchafalayaAtchafalaya River,River, MorganzaMorganza Floodway,Floodway, andand WestWest AtchafalayaAtchafalaya FloodwayFloodway convergeconverge atat thethe lowerlower endend ofof thethe AtchafalayaAtchafalaya RiverRiver leveeslevees toto formform thethe AtchafalayaAtchafalaya BasinBasin FloodwayFloodway „ ThisThis systemsystem isis designeddesigned toto carrycarry halfhalf thethe ProjectProject FloodFlood dischargedischarge ofof 1,500,0001,500,000 cfscfs BonnetBonnet CarreCarre FloodwayFloodway

„ The structure is about 7,000 feet long and the floodway extends about 5.7 miles from the river to Lake Pontchartrain. „ It has a design capacity of 250,000 cfs. During the Project Flood, it is operated to restrict the flow in the Mississippi River downstream of the floodway from exceeding 1,250,000 cfs, protecting New Orleans. St.St. LouisLouis LeveeLevee inin 19281928 19291929 MississippiMississippi RiverRiver FloodFlood EarthEarth PlacementPlacement MethodsMethods

„ Earth placement methods continued to evolve in the 1920s and 30s, lowering unit costs „ Economic haul limit had been 150 feet; with only 5-40 cubic bank yards per team per day per team „ This was improved significantly ImprovedImproved TowersTowers withwith DraglinesDraglines „ DraglinesDraglines employedemployed 3.53.5 toto 1010 cubiccubic yardyard bucketsbuckets „ HandledHandled 150150 toto 250250 cubiccubic yardsyards perper hourhour „ HaulHaul limitlimit increasedincreased toto ¼¼ milemile FrontFront TailTail DraglineDragline TowersTowers werewere employedemployed toto constructconstruct mostmost ofof thethe modernmodern leveeslevees asas partpart ofof thethe MRTMRT projectproject LeveeLevee ComparisonsComparisons

„ LengthLength ofof leveelevee systemsystem belowbelow CapeCape GirardeauGirardeau YearYear MilesMiles 18801880 991991 18901890 1,2391,239 19101910 1,5001,500 19231923 1,5551,555 19271927 1,5821,582 19311931 1,8301,830 COSTCOST COMPARISONSCOMPARISONS 19371937 FloodFlood EmanatedEmanated fromfrom thethe OhioOhio RiverRiver watershedwatershed TheThe BirdsBirds PointPoint--NewNew MadridMadrid FuseFuse PlugPlug LeveeLevee waswas usedused inin 19371937 FloodwayFloodway ConceptConcept DemonstratedDemonstrated RoadsRoads AddedAdded toto LeveesLevees

„ Before 1938, the MRC discouraged any motorized travel on the levees as dangerous because the weight would contribute to the ‘sinking of the levees’ „ The flood fight of 1937 had been hampered by the difficulty of transporting materials to critical areas. As a result, in 1938, the MRC passed a resolution directing the various districts to begin the construction of gravel roads on the levee crowns. ChangesChanges inin LeveeLevee DesignDesign ~~ 19471947

„ The MRC recognized the value of soil compaction in 1947 resulting in the Code for Utilization of Soils Data for Levees „ It was based around 3 sections: „ Type 1 „ Type 2 „ Type 3 SoilSoil CompactionCompaction MandatedMandated

„ Type 1 (5% shrinkage) „ New levee construction „ Control of moisture content „ Compaction in layers by sheepsfoot „ Type 2 (10% shrinkage) „ New levee construction „ Maximum practicable compaction (moderate compaction) of wet soils at least cost „ Type 3 (15% shrinkage) „ New/emergency levee construction „ No compaction required ProjectProject DesignDesign Flood,Flood, 19561956--19581958

„ TheThe projectproject floodflood stormstorm seriesseries developeddeveloped byby thethe NationalNational WeatherWeather ServiceService isis mademade upup ofof threethree historichistoric stormsstorms „ IntendedIntended toto predictpredict thethe largestlargest MississippiMississippi RiverRiver floodflood thatthat cancan reasonablyreasonably bebe expectedexpected toto occuroccur „ TheThe totaltotal peakpeak flowflow ofof thethe MississippiMississippi andand AtchafalayaAtchafalaya RiversRivers duringduring thisthis floodflood isis aboutabout 3,000,0003,000,000 cfscfs atat thethe latitudelatitude ofof RedRed RiverRiver landinglanding HowHow thethe ProjectProject FloodFlood waswas compiledcompiled „ TheThe JanuaryJanuary 19371937 stormstorm isis assumedassumed toto occur,occur, increasingincreasing thethe volumevolume byby 1010 percentpercent overover thethe OhioOhio andand LowerLower MississippiMississippi RiverRiver Basins.Basins. CompilingCompiling thethe ProjectProject FloodFlood -- continuedcontinued „ ItIt isis followedfollowed inin 44 daysdays byby thethe JanuaryJanuary 19501950 stormstorm overover thethe samesame generalgeneral areaarea ThirdThird AssumedAssumed StormStorm inin ProjectProject FloodFlood

„ ThreeThree daysdays later,later, thethe FebruaryFebruary 19381938 stormstorm waswas placedplaced overover allall thethe tributarytributary basinsbasins ofof thethe lowerlower MississippiMississippi RiverRiver FinalFinal ProjectProject FloodFlood MRCMRC’’ss ProjectProject DesignDesign FloodFlood forfor thethe LowerLower MississippiMississippi ValleyValley LeveeLevee EvolutionEvolution BetweenBetween St.St. LouisLouis andand CapeCape GirardeauGirardeau

„ The project design flood was designed for levees south of Cape Girardeau „ The St. Louis District, COE built the levees between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau based on 3 floods: „ Flood of 1844 fforor urban levees and 50-year flood for agricultural levees „ Flood of 1973, updated profile in 1979 „ Flood of 1993, updated profile in 2003 „ Present practice is to build levees based on economic optimization in conjunction with the 2003 profiles

St. Louis District Engineer Claude Norman Strauser 19731973 MississippiMississippi RiverRiver FloodFlood

„ The flood of 1973 caused damages estimated at $183,756,000 and set a record for days-out-of- bank at 62 „ The flood of 1973 brought about the realization that the carrying capacity of the river had decreased; meaning the flow of water would now be at a higher elevation, meaning levees would need be raised once again LeveeLevee vs.vs. NoNo LeveeLevee FloodwallFloodwall protectionprotection

„ FloodwallsFloodwalls areare usedused inin urbanurban areasareas wherewhere therethere isis littlelittle landland availableavailable forfor thethe constructionconstruction leveeslevees BenchmarkBenchmark StandardsStandards forfor LeveeLevee DesignDesign andand MaintenanceMaintenance 19781978 -- PresentPresent

TypicalTypical LeveesLevees andand FloodFlood WallsWalls ConstructionConstruction MethodsMethods HydraulicHydraulic FillFill DredgeDredge EarthEarth LeveeLevee EnlargementsEnlargements

„ RiversideRiverside leveelevee enlargementsenlargements areare thethe preferredpreferred methodmethod duedue toto costcost andand stabilitystability „ LandsideLandside enlargementsenlargements areare thethe leastleast preferredpreferred FloodwallFloodwall LeveeLevee EnlargementEnlargement

„ TheThe II--wallwall isis rarelyrarely usedused toto exceedexceed 77 ftft aboveabove groundground surface;surface; itit isis mademade byby combiningcombining sheetsheet pilingpiling withwith aa concreteconcrete capcap „ TheThe TT--wallwall isis usedused whenwhen wallwall higherhigher thenthen 77 ftft areare required;required; itit isis mademade fromfrom reinforcedreinforced concreteconcrete Turnout/TurnaroundTurnout/Turnaround

„ TurnoutsTurnouts allowallow forfor thethe passingpassing ofof twotwo vehiclesvehicles onon aa oneone--lanelane accessaccess roadroad onon aa leveelevee „ TuraroundsTurarounds allowallow forfor vehiclesvehicles toto reversereverse theirtheir directiondirection whenwhen aa leveelevee deaddead--endsends withoutwithout anan exitexit rampramp ToeToe TrenchesTrenches

„ ToeToe trenchestrenches areare usedused toto assistassist inin thethe preventionprevention ofof shallowshallow underseepageunderseepage „ ToeToe trenchestrenches areare oftenoften usedused withwith reliefrelief wells,wells, thethe wellswells collectcollect thethe deeperdeeper seepageseepage ForeshoreForeshore ProtectionProtection JunctionJunction ofof LeveeLevee andand DrainageDrainage StructureStructure

„ ConsiderationsConsiderations whenwhen aa leveelevee abuttsabutts aa concreteconcrete structurestructure „ DifferentialDifferential settlementsettlement „ CompactionCompaction ofof thethe leveelevee wallwall „ SlopeSlope protectionprotection toto preventprevent scouringscouring DrainageDrainage StructuresStructures LeveesLevees withwith PublicPublic UseUse

„ LeveesLevees todaytoday areare builtbuilt withwith roadwaysroadways onon toptop andand somesome areare openopen toto publicpublic useuse „ TheThe COECOE prefersprefers toto constructconstruct leveeslevees withwith nono adjoiningadjoining structuresstructures (flood(flood gatesgates excluded),excluded), butbut whenwhen unavoidableunavoidable willwill incorporateincorporate themthem inin toto thethe leveelevee systemsystem FloodFlood ofof 19931993 ––RecentRecent TestTest ofof thethe LeveeLevee SystemSystem COECOE InducedInduced LeveeLevee BreakBreak LeveeLevee OvertoppingsOvertoppings andand CrevassesCrevasses 19931993 FloodFlood DamageDamage LeveeLevee ProtectionProtection atat WorkWork St.St. LouisLouis LeveeLevee inin 20012001 MississippiMississippi RiverRiver CommissionCommission TodayToday

„ The MRC is still made up of the original 7 positions „ The president of the MRC is also the Commander of the MVD „ The districts inspect the levees twice annually „ Levee teams are comprised of: COE, FEMA, state agencies, customer, and contractor

Brigadier General Edwin J. Arnold, Jr. (right) heads the MRC PresentPresent DayDay LeveeLevee SystemSystem

„ TheThe mainmain stemstem leveelevee system,system, comprisedcomprised ofof levees,levees, floodwalls,floodwalls, andand variousvarious controlcontrol structures,structures, isis 2,2032,203 milesmiles long.long. SomeSome 1,6071,607 milesmiles lielie alongalong thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver itselfitself andand 596596 milesmiles lielie alongalong thethe southsouth banksbanks ofof thethe ArkansasArkansas andand RedRed riversrivers andand inin thethe AtchafalayaAtchafalaya Basin.Basin. ExampleExample ofof CurrentCurrent CostsCosts NewNew TechnologyTechnology

„ GeotubeTM technology developed under the COE Construction Productivity Research Program „ This concept minimizes environmental damage and reduces cost and time needed to construct Mississippi River flood protection levees.

GeotubeTM

„ Previous costs by the Corps of Engineer, Vicksburg District, per mile for raising 83 miles of levee over the past 23 years has been $2.8 million per mile. The estimated cost for future levee construction to the year 2029 (33 years) is estimated to be $3.2 million per mile for 220 miles of proposed levee or $698 million. This proposed construction method using geotubes is $1.5 million per mile for a savings of $368 million compared to conventional construction methods proposed by the Corps of Engineers. CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

„ TheThe evolutionevolution ofof thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver systemsystem cancan bebe tiedtied toto costs,costs, technology,technology, politics,politics, andand oversightoversight authority,authority, butbut thethe numbernumber oneone factorfactor isis thethe riverriver itself.itself. „ TheThe flowflow ofof thethe MississippiMississippi RiverRiver duringduring timestimes ofof floodingflooding hashas beenbeen thethe singlesingle mostmost importantimportant contributingcontributing factorfactor toto thethe changeschanges inin thethe leveelevee systemsystem fromfrom thethe timestimes ofof EuropeanEuropean settlerssettlers throughthrough thethe present.present. REFERENCESREFERENCES -- 11

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„ Elliott, D. O. The Improvement of the Lower Mississippi River for Flood Control and Navigation. St. Louis, MO: M.R.C. Print, 1932. „ Flood Briefing. 2003. Rock Island District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 12 October 2004. http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil. „ General Levee Information. 28 August 2004. Memphis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 14 October 2004. http://www.mvm.usace.army.mil. „ Have Flood Controls on the Mississippi River Been Successful? McDougal Littell, A Houghton Mifflin Company. 21 September 2004. http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/cont ent/investigations/es1308/es1308page02.cfm?chapter_no=inve stigation. „ Mark Twain’s Mississippi River. Northern Illinois University. 7 October 2004. http://dig.lib.niu.edu/twain/images/hp-levee.html. „ Martin, Mark E. Baton Rouge: Levee Construction, Mississippi River. February 2003. Louisiana State university. 09 October 2004. http://www.lib.lsu.edu/special/exhibits/Lytle/A14.html. „ McCormick, Joe. A slide show on the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project. Mississippi Valley Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 05 November 04. http://www.mvd.usace.army.mil/MRC-History- Center/commission/Flood/projfld1.html. REFERENCESREFERENCES -- 33

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