When the levee breaks

[waltky]

When the levee breaks...

Deficient levees found across America
January 17, 2013 — Inspectors taking the first-ever inventory of flood control systems overseen by the federal government have found hundreds of structures at risk of failing and endangering people and property in 37 states.

Levees deemed in unacceptable condition span the breadth of America. They are in every region, in cities and towns big and small: Washington, D.C., and Sacramento Calif., Cleveland and Dallas, Augusta, Ga., and Brookport, Ill. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has yet to issue ratings for a little more than 40 percent of the 2,487 structures, which protect about 10 million people. Of those it has rated, however, 326 levees covering more than 2,000 miles were found in urgent need of repair.

The problems are myriad: earthen walls weakened by trees, shrubs and burrowing animal holes; houses built dangerously close to or even on top of levees; decayed pipes and pumping stations. The Associated Press requested, under the Freedom of Information Act, details on why certain levees were judged unacceptable and how many people would be affected in a flood. The Corps declined on grounds that such information could heighten risks of terrorism and sabotage.

The AP found specifics about the condition of some levees from federal and state records and in interviews with more than a dozen officials in cities and towns. The number of people who might be affected by a breach could not be determined because there are many different factors in a flood, such as terrain and obstacles. The severity of the risk from any particular levee depends not only on its condition but also the population, infrastructure and property it protects. The Corps is currently conducting risk assessments of levees under its jurisdiction.

Local governments are responsible for upgrading unacceptable levees. Some local officials say that the Corps is exaggerating the dangers, that some deficiencies were approved or not objected to by the federal government and that any repairs could cost them hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. "It's just not right to tell a little town like this to spend millions of dollars that we can't raise," said Judy Askew, mayor of Brookport, a hardscrabble town of about 1,000 on the banks of the Ohio River.

More AP IMPACT: Deficient levees found across America | CNS News

 

[CrusaderFrank]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqDLVR2I5QE]Led Zeppelin When The Levee Breaks - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Old Rocks]

Given the increase in extreme precipitation events, they need to be looking at small scale dams above towns or cities. All too many of these are incapable of handling a downpour that would overtop the dam. In fact, it is not just the small scale structures, for the Fort Peck dam was in exactly that kind of danger in 2011.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Given the increase in extreme precipitation events, they need to be looking at small scale dams above towns or cities. All too many of these are incapable of handling a downpour that would overtop the dam. In fact, it is not just the small scale structures, for the Fort Peck dam was in exactly that kind of danger in 2011.

Wow! So OldRocks IS capable of posting a reasonable, well thought out response!

I AM Impressed!

 

[Trakar]

Given the increase in extreme precipitation events, they need to be looking at small scale dams above towns or cities. All too many of these are incapable of handling a downpour that would overtop the dam. In fact, it is not just the small scale structures, for the Fort Peck dam was in exactly that kind of danger in 2011.

This isn't just the case with small cities. My corporate offices were, a few years ago, located in Sacramento. I noticed a group of Army Corps of Engineers surveying and stopped by to greet them. In the course of conversation I found out a lot of Sacramento history that I did not know (living in southern Oregon). Seems the levee system there is in terrible shape and not prepared for even the types of flooding that are historically known about in the area. I was informed that if the area experienced the types of floods known about in relatively recent history, the damages and disruption would make the Katrina damages to NO pale in comparison!
(I'm sure some of that may have been hyperbole, but after a casual look at some of the available information, perhaps not too much so.)
City of Sacramento Department of Utilities - Solid Waste - City/County Neighborhood Flood Depth Maps

 

[Old Rocks]

And then there is the 1861 event;

Weather Extremes : California's Superstorm: The USGS ARkstorm Report and the Great Flood of 1862 | Weather Underground

 

[Trakar]

And then there is the 1861 event;

Weather Extremes : California's Superstorm: The USGS ARkstorm Report and the Great Flood of 1862 | Weather Underground

And patterns are aligning for much more frequent events of that type!

http://www.scientificamerican.com/a...rms-could-down-massive-portions-of-california

Mysterious Atmospheric River Soaks California, Where Megaflood May Be Overdue | Observations, Scientific American Blog Network