Enrollment in the Public Law 84-99 (PL 84-99) program provides reimbursement for specific damages to levees that result from high-water events.
The program is a partnered solution to flood damage similar to hazard insurance that you may have on your house. The levee sponsor enrolls in the program and provides levee maintenance to a standard level that is acceptable to the Corps. This maintenance and proper operation of the levee prevents routine damages and reduces the possibility of levee failure. In the case of severe flood-related levee damage to a properly maintained levee, the Corps provides post-damage assistance.
Levees are either federally constructed and enhanced in cooperation with a local sponsor then turned over to the local sponsor to own and operate, or are non-federally constructed or enhanced and owned and operated by a local sponsor. Federally designed and constructed levees are enrolled at the end of construction; non-federally constructed levees have to apply and be accepted into the Public Law 84-99 program. In Portland District, the sponsor is responsible for the operation, maintenance, repair and replacement of the levee in both cases.
Responsibilities of the sponsor and the Corps are set out in the programmatic guidance documents. Beginning in 2006, all Portland District Public Law 84-99 Levee sponsors received a copy of the Levee Owner’s Manual that documents procedures for inspection and continued participation in the Public Law 84-99 program.