May/June 2011 VOL.Falls 3, Issue 3 City Engineer U.S. Army Corps of Engineers www.lrl.usace.army.mil Louisville District Special Issue: A look back at the spring floods Nicholas Beaupre BUILDING STRONG® Volume 3, Issue 3 1 Commander’s Comments Team, This spring brought unprecedented time here and wish nothing but the best for floods to the Louisville District. I first the Corps of Engineers, the Louisville Dis- want to thank each of you for the support trict and each of you. During my command you provided to keep our region safe from I have had the privilege to witness a num- flood waters. Because of your efforts and ber of amazing projects and changes and to our Louisville District projects, this flood encounter many incredible people. I have did not cause historic levels of damage, been lucky to serve as your commander even though there were historic levels of during some of the district’s most chal- water in many of our lakes and rivers. lenging times —BRAC countdown, the During the flooding event our Emer- ice storm of 2009 and the floods of 2011. gency Operations Center operated 7 days With only 90 days remaining until the a week, and the staff worked long hours BRAC deadline, I remind you to buckle to ensure we stayed ahead of the situa- down and meet this challenge. I have been digitally enhanced Army photo able to attend remarkable groundbreaking tion. The district deployed eight flood Col. Keith Landry, Ph.D., P.E. fight teams and seven dam safety teams ceremonies for the Middletown Armed Commander and District Engineer throughout the region, provided 72 water Forces Reserve Center and the Armed Louisville District pumps and distributed more than 1.9 mil- Forces Reserve Centers in Puerto Rico that U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lion sandbags to counties and towns dur- symbolized the district’s successful BRAC Wing at Wright Patterson Air Force Base ing the months of March, April and May. execution. and the one-of-a-kind Olmsted Locks and During the flooding event eight of I have witnessed the growth of the Dam in Illinois. All of these monstrous our 20 lakes reached record pools, and of district’s sustainability program—includ- projects are propelling the district to great- those eight lakes, five had water up to or ing new hybrid cars in our district fleet and ness. passing through their spillways. Naviga- a LEED certified gold project at the Armed Additionally, you continue to volunteer tion continued on the Ohio River, with the Forces Reserve Center in Fort Allen, to deploy in support of Overseas Contin- exception at Smithland Locks and Dam, Puerto Rico. I have been fortunate enough gency Operations in significant numbers. where the water level was too high for to attend ribbon-cutting ceremonies for You have set the bar high and I encourage safe passage. some of our biggest projects to date such you to keep raising it higher. Now, as hard as it is for me to do, I as the new 1,200-foot lock chamber at You truly are having a positive impact must start to say my parting words. As McAlpine Locks and Dam in Louisville, on the regional economy, national econo- many of you know, I will pass command the Human Resource Center of Excellence my and national security. Thank you for to Col. Luke Leonard July 14 and retire at Fort Knox and the U.S. TRANSCOM making my time in Louisville so reward- effective August 1. It is hard to believe headquarters at Scott Air Force Base. Ad- ing. You are a team of professionals like that my three years in Louisville and my ditionally, during construction I’ve visited no other. 26 years in the Army flew by so quickly. our Wounded Warrior Transition Complex Col. Keith Landry I have enjoyed every moment during my at Fort Campbell, the Human Performance Falls City Engineer Contents Vol. 3, Issue 3 2011 flood estst projects, personnel 3 District Commander 1937 flood conditions a no-show in 2011 4 Col. Keith A. Landry Public Affairs Chief District uses new technology to support Smithland flood-fight 6 Todd Hornback Nolin Lake reaches record pool 7 Send articles to Louisville District Monroe Lake tested like never before 8 Public Affairs office at: Patoka Lake endures flood 9 [email protected] Social Media: Louisville District stays connected during flood 10 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers A Look at Cannelton Dam 11 CELRL-PA Grisoli tours flooded areas 12 P.O. Box 59 Louisville, KY 40201-0059 Birds Point-New Madrid floodway activated to provide relief 14 “Best Corps Day ever” lives up to hype 15 On the cover: The calm after the storm: A navigational buoy floats peacefully below Prehistoric mounds surveyed at Roush Lake 17 Locks and Dam 52 at sunset. First gold for LRL Reserve team 20 BUILDING STRONG® Volume 3, Issue 3 2 2011 flood tests projects, personnel By Ken Beyer and Carol Labashosky, public affairs ittle did anyone know that most of gency spillways were utilized and levees Lthe flood risk reduction projects were at their maximum. Not until May 19 built by the Army Corps of Engineers as did the frenzied pace cool off as the water By the numbers a result of the Flood Control Act of 1937 trickled down the last drain pipe and lake would be tested to their limit in the spring releases decreased significantly. • 1.9 million sandbags provided of 2011. The projects include reservoirs, Some highlights during the spring • 3 miles of geo cell material floods of 2011: levees, floodwalls, pumping stations and • 8 flood fight teams deployed detention basins. Eight of 20 lake projects in the Louis- In the region it’s commonplace for ville District reached record pools. Rough • 7 dam safety teams deployed citizens to live and work behind 10 feet River, Monroe and Patoka lakes had re- • 72 pumps provided leases through their emergency spillways of a concrete floodwall or in front of a • More than 30 employees worked river. The public swim, boat and enjoy for first time ever.Nolin and Taylorsville themselves on a Corps reservoir, but think lakes both had water in the spillway. in EOC for almost 4 weeks nothing beyond the lake as a site for a The Ohio River remained open for fun-filled day of recreation. Until, that is, navigation except at Smithland Locks and at so many locations in multiple states, it rain pelts down hour after hour and day Dam which was closed for three weeks. was critical that we communicated with after day after day. Or when the river At Smithland, Ky., there were concerns our state and federal partners as well as rises a foot and then three more feet. Then, about the safety of navigating the fixed media representatives. The efforts had to the question ultimately crosses people’s weir pass at Smithland Locks and Dam on be coordinated,” he continued. minds, “Am I safe, am I protected?” April 26. The Corps, industry, the Coast “When you have an event of this enor- Maybe they ask because they don’t Guard and helper boats coordinated to mity, you can’t work in a vacuum. People hear the deafening sound of pumping reopen the lock on May 14. Within 48 need to know what’s going on, how it’s stations across the region whizzing and hours, all traffic—87 tows—was cleared. going to affect them and what they need to purring or know that flood gates are going There had been 12-hour delays upstream do to be safe.” up along River Road and that eight flood and downstream. Planning for emergencies is a large part fight teams were dispatched across three The heavy rains have impacted Corps- of the district’s mission. Keeping com- state areas to provide technical expertise operated recreation areas and campsites munication lines open with federal, state to towns’ leadership. They might not in Kentucky, and in many areas across and local communities’ representatives to know that Louisville District geotechnical Kentucky recreation services are curtailed. include the public and the district employ- experts were out in heavy raincoats and The Paducah Floodway and Levee saw ees is vital to the success of an organiza- boots caked with mud monitoring Corps its highest flood of record since it was tion during an emergency. reservoir dams to assess their integrity and constructed. “We learned a lot from this flood,” in turn, ensure public safety. Other levees along the Ohio River were said Landry. “We learned that our emer- During the spring floods of 2011 all tested when the river reached record flood gency operations plans not only work – that was going on—and a lot more behind levels. The Cairo gage exceeded 1937 lev- they work very well. We learned that the the scenes work— to ensure public safety els by almost three feet. The Russell-Alli- projects proposed and built as part of the and reduce risk of flooding and related son-Ambraw, Ill., levee system overtopped Flood Control Act of August 28, 1937, damages. at the downstream end May 3. were needed and continue to be needed.” How did flood risk reduction projects During the flood events of spring 2011, prevent so much damage? the Corps worked closely with the state “The simple answer is everything emergency operations centers in Kentucky, worked the way it was designed,” said Indiana and Illinois, the National Weather Col. Keith Landry, district commander. Service, the Federal Emergency Manage- “And because of a lot of hard work by ment Agency (FEMA), the U.S.