Damaged levees could take years to repair [...]

[TBoneTX 45,497]

Terrible damage.  Good article.  Two questions:

1)  Any comments from anyone here who has Civil Engineering or other relevant experience?

2)  In these instances, should Federal aid be sought, and, if so, what percentage of cost?  Some small towns are uninhabitable.

Quote

Damaged levees could take years to repair, while southwest Iowa is at risk of more flooding this year

 

Kim Norvell, Des Moines Register
Published 9:15 p.m. CT April 11, 2019

 

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. — It's going to take “several years” to fix breached and compromised levees along the Missouri River that caused floodwaters to inundate farmland and displace hundreds of Iowans, the Army Corps of Engineers said at a meeting here Thursday.

 

"Altogether, we have an enormous amount of work to get done," said Col. John Hudson, commander of the corps' Omaha district. "... And in order to accomplish it, we will need additional funds authorized by Congress."

He did not specify how many years or how much money it will take to repair the 280 miles of levees between Council Bluffs and the Missouri state line. The entire system was compromised during historic flooding in early March.

 

There were more than 40 levee breaches. Levees that weren’t breached are severely eroded from water overtopping them for at least four days.

 

Continues here (pretty comprehensive article): https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2019/04/11/iowa-flooding-damaged-levees-missouri-river-army-corps-engineers-breaches/3424631002/

 

Edited April 12, 2019 by TBoneTX

[Boiler 45,657]

Sort of related to an issue I was talking about with a friend yesterday, Small Town needs to replace its sewage system at a cost of $20,000 per household, seems that there are Grants etc to fund most of it, however the ongoing operational cost is another thing.

 

I would not be surprised if the same thing applies here, Federal and State funds to repair but maintaining is the issue.  I see a lot of projects funded with no appreciation of the ongoing costs and who pays for that.

[TBoneTX 45,497]

True -- and, during repair, what thought is being paid to durability, and to a robust capability of withstanding events like the one that knocked out the original system?

[Boiler 45,657]

Well nothing lasts for ever, you can make things more durable but that usually means more expensive.  Mother Nature will always win. Eventually.

[Neonred 3,575]

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

Sort of related to an issue I was talking about with a friend yesterday, Small Town needs to replace its sewage system at a cost of $20,000 per household, seems that there are Grants etc to fund most of it, however the ongoing operational cost is another thing.

 

I would not be surprised if the same thing applies here, Federal and State funds to repair but maintaining is the issue.  I see a lot of projects funded with no appreciation of the ongoing costs and who pays for that.

Exactly.  Went through this two years ago.  Down here in the Keys, outside of Key West, we have never had sewage treatment.  Each home had septic, aerobic treatment, or cesspool.  Sewage seeping into the ocean was contributing to reef degradation.  Federal government stepped in with grants to build a sewer system that lowered the homeowner costs from a little over $20k to $4700.  First the upper Keys were done, then the middle Keys.  When it came our turn in the lower Keys, they told us the money was used up and we would have to pay the full amount.  We all told them to "take a hike".  Somehow they found the money, and I had to pay $4700 plus hookup plus dismantling my aerobic system.  Now my water bill is more than doubled as they include sewer in it, and they are already having issues with maintenance on a brand new system.  I see ever increasing bills in the future, partly because some areas are relying on high mantenance grinder pumps.

 

Edited to add that it is amazing how salty air, salt spray, and salt water flooding from a hurricane takes its toll on almost everything in this environment.  And what doesn't get eaten up by the salt gets degraded by extreme heat, humidity, and sunlight.

Edited April 12, 2019 by Neonred

[Boiler 45,657]

That is another good example, the other factor I assume is that Florida has a large retirement community and they will find it much harder to cover these every increasing costs.

[TBoneTX 45,497]

Nature has a way of trashing everything manmade.  That's the nature of Nature.

 

Wouldn't it be great if we could find a way to transfer floodwaters to areas ravaged by forest fires...

Edited April 13, 2019 by TBoneTX

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

People who move near already-existing airports complain about noise and make it tougher to operate.  People who live in flood-prone areas complain about floods and want someone to pay for their protection.  People who live near the water, knowing hurricanes happen there with regularity want someone to cover them in case one happens.  

 

Why?

[TBoneTX 45,497]

It's Bush's Trump's fault.