U'S' Army Corps of Engineers

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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley
Division
National Waterways Conference November 6, 2008
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2008 High Water

• Lower Mississippi River February - May
• Began with heavy rainfalls in February over the
  Ohio River Valley
• Additional heavy rains followed in March April
• Upper / Middle Mississippi River May July
• Four separate events brought 6 to 10 inches of
  rain
• Record Mississippi River stages set at 3 locations

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2008 High WaterLower River

• No levees overtopped
• Numerous MRT levees and pump stations need
  repair
• Bonnet Carré Spillway operated
• Increased operation at pumping plants
• Navigation restrictions
• Increased dredging requirement

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2008 High WaterUpper River

• Navigation
• 13 locks closed for total of 37 days
• 316 river miles of the Upper Mississippi River
  system were closed to navigation
• 70M in damages to LDs
• Recreation
• Reduced visits camping, hiking, boating, etc.
• Clean-up costs

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Response Summary

• Spring Flood Event
• 12 levees damaged
• 179 Mississippi Valley Division employees
  responded
• 20.4 million funded to date
• June Flood Event
• 67 levees damaged
• 301 Mississippi Valley Division employees
  responded
• 106 million funded to date
• Increased dredging requirement

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Damages Prevented
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Collaboration Interdependence
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Collaboration Interdependence (continued)

• Rainfall-River Forecasting Summit
• Fusion Cell National Weather Service, U.S.
  Geological Survey, and U.S. Army Corps of
  Engineers

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Hurricane Season
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Impacts

• Louisiana
• Higher storm surges than experienced during
  Hurricane Rita in some locations
• Extensive power outages in South Southwestern
  Louisiana
• 5,000 homes flooded
• Restricted navigation

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Navigation
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Value to the Nation