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https://hdl.handle.net/11681/38500
Title: | Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment with Appendices : Missouri River Levee System, Units R471-460 and L-455, St. Joseph, Missouri / Elwood, Kansas |
Authors: | United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Kansas City District |
Keywords: | Missouri River Levees Flood control Saint Joseph (Mo.) Elwood (Kan.) Environmental management Environmental protection |
Publisher: | United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Kansas City District. |
Abstract: | The metropolitan area of St Joseph, Missouri is protected by a federal levee system constructed in the mid-1960s. This system consists of two separate units. Unit R471-460 is located on the right bank of the Missouri River and protects the cities of Elwood and Wathena, Kansas, as well as the Rosecrans Memorial Airport and Missouri Air National Guard facilities. Unit L-455 is located on the left bank of the Missouri River and protects portions of the City of St. Joseph. Both units also protect significant agricultural property and unincorporated areas. Both units are part of the Missouri River Levee System authorized by the 1944 Flood Control Act. While this flood damage reduction system is designated as a Federal project, it has long been turned over to the local sponsors for operation and maintenance. The Corps of Engineers continues to conduct regular inspections and technical review of significant modifications to the system. These non-Federal sponsors are: the South St. Joseph Levee District, the St. Joseph Airport Levee District, and the Elwood-Gladden Drainage District. During the Missouri River Flood of 1993, the right bank unit failed flooding homes, businesses, and infrastructure. The left bank unit passed the flood but was near to overtopping. As a result, there was a concern that the levees may provide less than the design level of flood damage reduction. At the request of the local levee districts, a review of the levees was initiated in 1999 to evaluate the existing level of flood damage reduction and determine alternatives for possible improvement. Section 216 of the 1970 Flood Control Act provided the study authority to investigate the performance of the levee system and the potential for improvements. Comparison of the existing conditions with the original design and construction determined that the current levee system was not properly designed to provide the authorized level of flood damage reduction. The feasibility study evaluated various improvement alternatives using a risk-based analysis, including the no-action plan. The recommended plan calls for raising a significant reach of unit R471-460 up to 3.37 feet above the existing elevation and raising a short reach of unit L-455 up to 0.94 feet above the existing elevation. The plan also includes improvements to the geotechnical and structural features of the existing project. The levee alignment will remain the same although there will be an increase in portions of the base width. This will minimize local disruptions to both the populace and the environment. Borrow areas have been identified close to the existing levee and will require minor mitigation. The recommended plan is the National Economic Development (NED) plan which maximizes the net benefits of the project. Proposed modifications to the two units are individually and collectively economically justified. The NED plan is also the locally preferred plan. |
Description: | Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment |
Rights: | Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited |
URI: | https://hdl.handle.net/11681/38500 |
Appears in Collections: | Environmental Documents |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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St Joseph and Elwood Levees FR and EA_2006.pdf | 59.35 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |