Seattle District - US Army Corps of Engineers


Corps of Engineers work to repair levees damaged in November 2006 flood event

Contact: Nola Leyde (206) 764-6896

SEATTLE -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is starting work on the levees damaged in the November 2006 flood event.

Fifty-four levees were damaged in the high water event and are on the list for repair. Work to repair the levees includes the investigation of damages, estimates of repair costs, engineering design of repair work, and construction. The estimate for the cost of repairs is more than $21 million.

Investigation and estimates of repair work is currently taking place. The engineering design and construction will follow, with construction beginning as early as July.

“Public safety is our number one priority and our intent is to repair as many as possible in the short time we have left before the start of flood season in November,” said Paul Komoroske, chief of the Corps’ Seattle District Emergency Management Branch.

The Corps had identified 17 levees for repair this year. Repair of the levees is subject to in-water work windows, real estate issues, and the ability to mobilize equipment, materials and contractors.

The repair of levees also provides an opportunity to incorporate additional environmental features into the engineering designs.

“Engineering environmental features that make the levees more flood resistant can also provide benefits to the environment, such as endangered species. It takes a little more time, but you have a better levee for the environment,” said Doug Weber, Seattle District Natural Disaster Program Manager.

Included in the repairs scheduled this year are levees in King, Pierce, Skagit and Whatcom counties. Preliminary work on the remaining levees will also begin this year. Construction is expected to take place on those levees next year. Corps emergency managers will develop flood fight plans in advance of the upcoming flood season with sponsors of levees that will be repaired next year.

Public Law 84-99 enables the Corps to assist state and local authorities in flood fight activities and cost share in the repair of flood protection structures. After a flood, the Corps has authority to supplement local efforts in the repair of both federal (Corps-constructed, locally-operated and maintained) and non-federal (constructed, operated and maintained by non-federal interests) flood control structures damaged by flooding if they are active in the Corps Rehabilitation and Inspection Program. Levees that are not in the program are not eligible for repairs. Repairs to federal levees are 100 percent federally funded. Repairs to non-federal levees are cost shared, with the federal cost of 80 percent and the local cost of 20 percent.

There are 294 levees in the Seattle District PL 84-99 program, which includes Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana. This includes 20 federal levees and 274 non-federal levees. The list of 54 levees identified for repair includes:

*Identified for repair this year

Note – This list is subject to update as inspections take place

Washington

King County

Project/Levee Name River Type

Riverbend South Fork Snoqualmie Non-Fed

Holstein South Fork Snoqualmie Non-Fed

Prairie Acres Left South Fork Snoqualmie Non-Fed

Si View Park South Fork Snoqualmie Non-Fed

Snoqualmie 205 Snoqualmie Non-Fed

McElhoe Pearson Snoqualmie Non-Fed

Snoqualmie 205 Snoqualmie Fed

Mason-Thorson Ext. Snoqualmie Non-Fed

Mason-Thorson Ells Snoqualmie Non-Fed

Aldair Snoqualmie Non-Fed

Raging: Bridge to Mouth, Left Bank Raging Non-Fed

Raging: Bridge to Bridge, Left Bank Raging Non-Fed

Bridge to Bridge Right, Right Bank Raging Non-Fed

Bridge to Bridge Left, Left Bank Raging Non-Fed

Remlinger Tolt Non-Fed

Brannan Park - Reddington Green Non-Fed

Cedar 205 (I-Wall) Cedar Fed *

Desimone Briscoe School Green Non-Fed *

Dorre-Don Cedar Non-Fed

Dykstra Levee, Left Bank Green Non-Fed

Kent Shops - Narita, Right Bank Green Non-Fed

Horseshoe Bend 205 levee Green Fed *

Tukwila 205 - Segale Levee Green Fed *

Boeing Levee Green Non-Fed

Meyers Golf Green Non-Fed

Galli's Levee Green Non-Fed

Pierce County

Project/Levee Name River Type

Champion Bridge Puyallup Non-Fed

Alward Segment 1 Carbon Non-Fed *

Neadham Road Puyallup Non-Fed *

SkiPark Carbon Non-Fed *

Sportsman Puyallup Non-Fed

Bower/Parker Puyallup Non-Fed

Leach Road Puyallup Non-Fed

High Cedars Puyallup Non-Fed

Lindsay Puyallup Non-Fed

Guy West Carbon Non-Fed *

McAbee Puyallup Non-Fed

Bridge Street Puyallup Non-Fed

Larsen Puyallup Non-Fed *

Nisqually Park Nisqually Non-Fed

Soldiers Home Puyallup Non-Fed

Jones Puyallup Non-Fed

Riverside Puyallup Non-Fed

Skagit County

Project/Levee Name River Type

Diking District 22 Skagit Non-Fed *

Diking District 12