Seattle District Levee Page

·       Public Safety is our number one priority.

·       Flood risk management is a shared responsibility and partnership among federal, state local agencies and private landowners.

·       The Corps works closely with state and local emergency responders to inspect, advise and assist communities with professional engineering expertise and materials during flood fights.

·       Local land management decisions allowing development in flood plains continues to be a public safety challenge.

Army Corps of Engineers and Tukwila work to repair damaged Green River levees
Contacts: Patricia Graesser, Corps of Engineers (206) 764-3750, Ryan Larson, City of Tukwila (206) 431-2456
Aug. 5, 2008

SEATTLE -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Tukwila are conducting repair work over the next few weeks on two sections of Green River levee that were damaged in the November 2006 flood event. Contractors began construction July 31.

Known as site 3 and 5, both are on the west side of the Green River. Site 3 is located southwest of intersection of West Valley Highway and South 180th Street, and site 5 is southeast of the intersection of South 180th Street and Andover Park West.

The site 3 repair consists of laying back the existing levee and armoring the riverward slopes over the damaged segments, then planting them with Corps-approved vegetation and anchoring woody debris to base of the levee. At site 5 crews will lay back the existing levee system by setting back the current levee and constructing a bench. A toe structure will be constructed to prevent future scour and a blanket of rock will be placed then planted with Corps-approved vegetation and woody debris will be anchored to the base of the levee. In addition, the City of Tukwila, in an effort to reduce the footprint of the levee, will be installing a Corps-approved retaining wall on the back side of the levee.

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. Local funding for this project was provided by the City of Tukwila.

The Tukwila levees are two of more than 50 levees damaged in the region during the 2006 flood event throughout the region. Levee repairs began last year in five western Washington counties including King, Pierce, Whatcom, Snohomish and Skagit. Repairs in these areas will continue through this year and into 2009.

The public also needs to be aware, for their safety, that there will be increased truck traffic within Tukwila, particularly in the area of South 180th Street.

For more information on the Corps, visit the Seattle District Web site at www.nws.usace.army.mil <http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/> and select Levees in the Corps Topics box, top right hand corner.

Contact: Nola Leyde (206) 764-6896

June 27, 2008

SEATTLE -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and King County will be starting work next week on two Green River levees damaged in the November 2006 flood event. Contractors are already mobilizing equipment to those areas.

The Kent Shops-Narita and Meyers Golf levees, near Kent, Wash., were part of the more than 50 levees damaged in the region during the 2006 flood event and were on the list for repairs. Thirteen levees were repaired last year in five counties in western Washington, including King, Pierce, Whatcom, Snohomish and Skagit. More levee repairs are scheduled for next year.

The public and river users should be aware of construction activities taking place in these areas. "Public safety is our top priority," said Bill Graney, project manager for the levee repairs on the Green River. "Flood risk management is a shared responsibility and partnership among federal, state, and local agencies, and private landowners," said Graney who is working together with King County and City of Kent in the repair work.

The public also needs to be aware, for their safety, that there will be increased truck traffic and equipment in the levee repair areas. Read More at Levee Work Begins