9 Oct 2020

LA District teams up with California Guard for flood-control exercise

Partnership was the keyword Oct. 8 as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District teamed up with the California Army National Guard for a flood-control exercise at the Whittier Narrows Dam Basin.

5 Oct 2020

Below average runoff continues in the upper Missouri River basin

September precipitation was well-below normal in the Missouri River Basin.  As a result, September runoff in the upper Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa was 69% of average.  Since January 1, precipitation in the upper Basin is well-below normal.  The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is forecasting that below-normal precipitation will continue in October.  The 2020 calendar year runoff forecast for the upper Basin, updated on October 1, is 30.2 million acre-feet (MAF), 117% of average. Average annual runoff for the upper Basin is 25.8 MAF.

3 Sep 2020

August inflows much below average in northern Missouri River Basin

August precipitation was well-below normal in the Missouri River Basin, particularly in the western and far northern portions, which received less than 25% of normal precipitation. The lack of precipitation and dry soil conditions resulted in 74% of average August runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa (upper Basin). The 2020 calendar year forecast for the upper Basin, updated on September 1, is 30.6 million acre-feet (MAF), 119% of average. Average annual runoff for the upper Basin is 25.8 MAF. Runoff in the upper Basin during the remainder of 2020 is forecast to be below average.

13 Aug 2020

Corps of Engineers closes Missouri River Levee System L-536 breach near Corning, Missouri

OMAHA, Neb. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District closed another breach along the Missouri River Levee System L-536, northwest of Corning, Missouri Saturday.

17 Jun 2020

PUBLICATION NOTICE: Development and Application of the CASM-SL to Support Nutrient Management in Potential Sangamon River Levee Setbacks

Abstract: Levee setbacks are defined by the intentional relocation of levees away from the river bank. This placement is often done to reduce flood risk, but it can also have environmental benefits. The Comprehensive Aquatic System Model (CASM) was used to look at the potential fate of nutrients and several environmental benefits for five potential management scenarios along the lower Sangamon River in Illinois. The model results showed that two scenarios were much more environmentally favorable relative to the outcomes considered here. One of the scenarios, where the existing gates were operated to allow the river access to the area behind the levee during extreme floods, was better at nitrogen and phosphorous accumulation. Removing the gates and creating a levee setback at this same site produced more aquatic plants, invertebrates, and fish but was not as effective at nutrient accumulation. This application of CASM demonstrates the potential of the model to provide objective rankings for the environmental benefits of levee setbacks.

14 Jun 2020

Vicksburg District opens gates of Steele Bayou Control Structure

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District opened the gates of the Steele Bayou Control Structure, located approximately 10 miles north of Vicksburg, Mississippi, June 13.

21 May 2020

Corps awards contract to complete levee repairs on the Missouri River L-536 levee system north of Corning, Missouri

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,  Omaha District, awarded a $8.74 million construction contract to AECOM Technical Services, Inc. of Los Angeles, California, Tuesday, to close the remaining breaches and making final repairs on the Missouri River L-536 levee system north of Corning, Missouri.  The L-536 system is the last remaining Missouri River levee damaged by the March 2019 flood event in need of full repair.

15 May 2020

Corps Deactivates Phase II Flood Fight

Water levels along the Mississippi River have dropped prompting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District to move from Phase II to Phase I flood fight procedures.

28 Apr 2020

Sewage & Water Board to temporarily shut off water line between Florida Ave. and N. Dorgenois St. between Louisa St. and Congress St.

The Sewage & Water Board of New Orleans will shut off the water line between Florida Ave. and N. Dorgenois St. between Louisa St. and Congress St. on Thursday, April 30, 2020 from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. while new water line tie-ins are installed. This work is related to the construction of a new drainage canal as part of the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control project.

22 Apr 2020

PUBLICATION NOTICE: Operation and Deployment Risk Assessment Report for the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Alternative and Sequencing Optimization for Removable Flood Barriers

ABSTRACT: The City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, partnered with engineering firms and the US Army Engineer District, Rock Island (MVR), to develop a Flood Control System (FCS). In 2011, the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (ERDC-CHL), was tasked with completing a risk assessment of removable floodwalls on the eastern side of the Cedar River. In 2016, ERDC-CHL was asked to include the temporary flood closure barriers on both sides of the Cedar River. Phase 1 of the study consisted of seven alternatives to be considered for the final FCS design, with a goal of a 90% confidence of successful deployment. Phase 2, initiated by MVR, targeted a 95% confidence level. The method used for evaluation was RiskyProject® software. The software used a Monte Carlo method of analysis to determine a range of durations, manpower, and labor costs based on logical sequencing. The results showed that the “Master Plan Minus 400 ft” alternative to be the most efficient for Phase 1. The most efficient alternative for Phase 2 was Task 5.4, which achieved a 95% confidence level of completion within 48 hours. The Phase 1 and the Phase 2 descriptions are detailed within this report.