Flood Protection Infrastructure

Levees & Dams

Chris Baish - GEOG 3220

Outline
Introduction
Effects on human behavior
Current state of infrastructure
Recent failures
Climate change
Coralville Dam 2008
Future options

Introduction - Harness the River

Levee
Definition:
- Embankment constructed along the banks of a river
Purpose:
- Restrict water from spilling onto floodplain by confining it to the channel
Effect:
- Increased channel capacity

Iowawatch.org

Introduction - Harness the River

Dam
Definition:
- Barrier built across channel of a river
Purpose:
- Regulate water flow to downstream reaches
Effect:
- Channel narrowing downstream

USACE

Human Behavior - A False Sense of Security

Perceived Benefits
-

Flood protection

Encourages floodplain development

- ~100,000 levee miles
-

- 43% of population lives in a county with at least one

~ 80,000 dams

All infrastructure faces flood risk

Human Behavior - A False Sense of Security

National Flood Insurance Program
- Created in 1960s
-

Federally subsidized
Administered by FEMA

1) FEMA partners with private insurance companies

2) Homeowners buy policies from companies
3) When a home floods, the insurance company investigates the claim
4) Taxpayers make up what is not covered by premiums

Current state of program

-

~14% of homeowners
$23 B in debt
Taxpayers liable for > $1.2 T in potential claims

Human Behavior - A False Sense of Security

Effects of Urbanization
Urbanization increases runoff
-

Diminishes the ability of the landscape to absorb heavy rainfall

Places more people and structures at risk

New Geography

Current State of Infrastructure

Levees
~100,000 miles
- Average age: 54 yrs
17% federally owned & operated
-

~15,000 miles managed by Army Corps. of Engineers

- Only half have been assessed
- 8% in acceptable condition

Remaining - locally owned & operated

-

Not federally regulated

Hamburg Levee Failure

Hamburg, IA - 2011
Spring rains and snowmelt led to swollen Missouri River
- USACE increased dam releases
- Lower Missouri River reached 150,000 cfs - 2x previous record
June 13, 2011 - Hamburg levee failure

AP

Hamburg Levee Failure

Hamburg, IA - 2011
Secondary levee raised 8 ft.
-

$6 M - USACE
$4.6 M to bring to federal standard
- Torn down in 2013

AP

Current State of Infrastructure

Dams
~ 80,000
-

Average age: 52 yrs

4% federally owned & operated

-

706 managed by Army Corps. of Engineers

- 14% high-hazard
- $23 B estimate to modify

Remaining - locally owned & operated

-

Not federally regulated

69% private

Delhi Dam Failure

Delhi, IA - 2010
Dam sustained heavy damage during 2008 floods
- Broken spillway gate
Heavy rainfall led to Maquoketa River crest at 10 ft above flood level
July 24, 2010 - Dam overtopped

NBC

Delhi Dam Failure

Lake Delhi, IA - 2010

Delhi Dam Failure

Delhi, IA - 2010
Cities of Hopkinton & Monticello
-

8,000 people evacuated

> 370 structures damaged
~ $175 M

FEMA

Climate Change - Unaccounted Risk

Precipitation Trends

USGCRP

USGCRP

Climate Change - Unaccounted Risk

Precipitation Trends
RCP 2.6

RCP 8.5

USGCRP

USGCRP

Coralville Dam
Iowa City, IA - 2008
Spring rains and snowmelt led to swollen Iowa River
- USACE increased dam release
- Iowa River at Iowa City reached 41,100 cfs
- 36,500 cfs - 500-year flood discharge level

USACE

Coralville Dam
Iowa City, IA - 2008
City of Iowa City
-

> 300 structures damaged

- Wastewater treatment plant
~ $6.5 M

- Cit

The Gazette

Coralville Dam
Iowa City, IA - 2008
University of Iowa
-

22 structures damaged
~ $800 M
- 8 years to recover - Sept 13, 2016

AP

Option 1 - Do Nothing
-

Option 2 - Build it Higher

Cedar Falls
-

25% of city within the 100 and 500-year floodplain

$209 M in property protected by downtown levee
- CFU, wastewater treatment plant

CFU levee improvement project

-

$20 M in damage 2008 flood

Raised levee to 500-year flood level - completed 2012-2013
$4.9 M - FEMA

Downtown levee improvement project

-

Raise levee to 500-year flood level

$13.25 M
- $6.6 M from state - Approved March 2014
- $4.8 M from fed
- $1.7 M from city - 3% increase in tax over 4 years

Option 2 - Build it Higher

Cedar Falls

Option 3 - Move Out of Floodplain

Iowa City
-

Wastewater treatment plant

Wastewater treatment plant relocation project

-

Completed 2014
$50 M - fed

Park and wetland project

Option 3 - Move Out of Floodplain

Iowa City

Option 3 - Move Out of Floodplain

Cedar Falls
Property buyout program
-

City offers to purchase properties in floodplain

- Demolish structures & turn into green spaces
Federally subsidized (FEMA)
Obtained > 331 properties
- $19 M

Sources
-

http://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/documents/misc/FLOOD_CedarFalls_ExecSummary.pdf
http://www.thegazette.com/2014/02/28/iowa-panel-approves-6-6-million-cedar-falls-levee
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/waterloo-disputes-finding-levees-are-unacceptable/article_e59a
6c2c-075b-563b-8cf5-36e6d4eae650.html
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/flood-update-river-crests-in-cedar-falls-and-waterloo/article_83d32f16-d174-5a
1e-9ddd-ab3073568433.html
http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Portals/48/Users/050/86/1586/Section%20408%20PN%20Cedar%20Falls.pdf?ver
=2016-06-06-124412-917
https://www.planning.org/research/postdisaster/casestudies/cedarfalls.htm
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/cfu-shoring-up-flood-wall/article_5ef5ce80-dfae-11e0-b038-001cc4c002e0.html
http://www.rsjlawfirm.com/blog/2016/10/a-false-sense-of-security.shtml
http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/levees/
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/education/university-of-iowa/2016/09/13/guide-university-of-iowa-camp
us-architecture-flood-recovery-hancher-voxman-visual-arts/89778806/
https://www.icgov.org/news/city-unveils-riverfront-crossings-park-concept-plans
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/2-missouri-river-levees-break-in-iowa-and-mo/
http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/corps-to-tear-down-part-of-levee-that-saved-hamburg/article_00ee
f78c-10a0-5398-9734-3692cb482122.html
http://www.radioiowa.com/2010/07/25/northeast-iowa-flooding-dam-collapse-at-lake-delhi/