100 Levees In 16 States Have Failed To Pass Inspections In Past 2 Years

[hatrack]

WASHINGTON — More than 100 levees in 16 states have flunked maintenance inspections in the past two years and are so neglected that they could fail to stem a major flood, Army Corps of Engineers records show. The 114 levees received "unacceptable" maintenance ratings in corps inspections, meaning their deficiencies are so severe that it can be "reasonably foreseen" that they will not perform properly in heavy flooding, according to the records, which were requested by USA TODAY.

As a result, the corps is advising state and local levee authorities that the levees no longer qualify for federal rehabilitation aid if damaged by floodwaters.

People who rely on the levees should "be aware that there is reason for concern," says Tammy Conforti, head of the corps' levee safety program. The corps built most of the levees and turned them over to state and local governments, which were supposed to maintain them. Some of the neglected levees protect urban, residential areas, such as the Arcade Creek levee in Sacramento; others guard rural or agricultural land.

The corps' levee inspections were revamped under a public safety initiative started after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A round of 63 levees with unacceptable maintenance lost eligibility for federal rehabilitation aid last year after they were not fixed within a one-time, one-year grace period. Now, the addition of 114 levees to that list leaves a total of 177 nationwide that are so poorly maintained that they don't qualify for federal rehabilitation. That's 9% of the nearly 2,000 levees the corps inspects.

EDIT

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090224/1alevy24_st.art.htm

[phantom power]

1. Something about this story makes me think "shovel ready."

But I'm an America-hating socialist who voted for B. Hussein Obama.

If I were a true patriot like Bobby Jindal, I would instead continue to slash taxes, fuck those levies, and declare American Capitalist Victory!

[havocmom]

2. we have volcaneos too

[hatrack]

3. And all those pesky ol' volcanoes need is MORE TAX CUTS!!!!

There, wasn't that more fun than thinking??

[havocmom]

4. Personaly, sitting near Yellowstone, I think hurricane monitoring is $ poorly spent...

Not really. I am capable of big picture concepts ;)

[XemaSab]

5. Sitting near Lassen and Shasta

money spent on tornado research is money thrown in the garbage. :shrug: