US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG ® Prioritizing Investments within the USACE Levee Safety Program Process and Methodology Overview Jason Needham, P.E. Consequence Specialist USACE Risk Management Center 10 April 2012

BUILDING STRONG ®  Why am I here?  Introduction to USACE Levee Safety Program ► Life of a levee ► Portfolio management process  Decision Making ► Step 1 - Levee Screening/LSAC Example – New Orleans ► Step 2 - Base Condition Risk Assessment Example - Dallas Overview

BUILDING STRONG ® Why am I here?  To learn about how the Dutch manage dike safety ► National and International perception The Dutch are the world leaders in water defense ► Constantly compared to Dutch water defense standards  While the 1965 team of engineers in New Orleans tried to build levees strong enough to withstand the strongest possible storm in 200 years, Dutch engineers designed a system strong enough to match the kind of catastrophic storm that only occurs once in 10,000 years. storm  “Maybe we can send more government workers on another tax paid trip to Holland where they can go to one meeting about Holland flood protection, go smoke dope together in a Dutch cafe shop and come back home with no plan to build Dutch style flood protected walls.”

BUILDING STRONG ® Why am I here?  Share recent developments in the US ► New approaches post-Katrina  Specific tasks ► Learn more about Dutch risk assessment methodology ► Apply USACE methodologies on Dutch levees Learn through feedback Better communication of results at home

BUILDING STRONG ® The Life of a Levee - Plan We get flooded too much, I’ll call USACE and ask them to help. Risk Analysis (no standards) B/C ($$) etc. (Local community)

BUILDING STRONG ® The Life of a Levee - Construct Federally constructed, locally maintained

BUILDING STRONG ®  Large portfolio of existing levees ► Risk associated with levees increasing over time Inherent risk associated with living near rivers and oceans Degradation of existing structures Changing construction techniques Increase in population, climate change, etc  Increase in public awareness ► Katrina and other recent events  Large portfolio - limited funds ► How do you decide what to fix first? Dutch approach = Safety assessment The Life of a Levee – Maintain

BUILDING STRONG ® HQ The Life of a Levee – Maintain (old way)

BUILDING STRONG ®  Assess the integrity and viability of levees and recommend actions to assure they do not present unacceptable risks to the public, property, and the environment. ► Hold public safety paramount ► Reduce economic damage ► Maximize cost effectiveness ► Develop reliable and accurate information (decision driven) ► Build and maintain public trust USACE Levee Safety Program

BUILDING STRONG ® The Life of a Levee – Maintain (New way)

BUILDING STRONG ® Levee Safety Portfolio Risk Management Process Routine Activities 11

BUILDING STRONG ® Levee Safety Action Classification System  Transition from Routine to Non-routine  Reflects urgency of action  Depicts range of risk ► combination of likelihood of inundation consequences of inundation with an emphasis on life-safety  Provides consistent and systematic guidelines for actions commensurate with the risk 12

BUILDING STRONG ® 13 Levee Safety Action Classification ClassUrgencyCharacteristicsActions I Urgent and Compelling (Unsafe) Likelihood of inundation with associated consequences characterizing each class. Actions recommended for each class and level of urgency. II Urgent (Unsafe or Potentially Unsafe) III High Priority (Potentially Unsafe) IV Priority (Marginally Safe) V Normal (Adequately Safe)

BUILDING STRONG ® 14 Levee Screening Tool ► Developed to quickly assess the condition and consequences of levees in the Corps of Engineers portfolio ► Combines information from: National Levee Database; Levee inspection process; Limited Engineering Assessment of project features. ► Relative Risk Index ► Philosophy Data consistency Miss high ► Largo portfolio Simplify!

BUILDING STRONG ® Levee Screening Tool Results

BUILDING STRONG ® Initial Results – New Orleans  System levees designed to reduce flooding from Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain ► New Orleans District ► Urban Setting ► St.Charles/Jefferson/ Orleans Metro FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

BUILDING STRONG ® Segment Screenings Vicinity/Segment Map Pontchartrain LD East Jefferson LD Orleans LD

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Screening Results – New Orleans ► Recommended LSAC Rating = LSAC 2 ► Combination of life, economic, or environmental consequences with the probability of inundation due to overtopping with subsequent breach, is very high. ► Justification: Performance concern: Breach during overtopping Evidence:  Good performance expected for events up to 100% loading  Incipient overtopping frequency estimated at 200-year return period  Studies show breach likely for event at or about yr event  Breach during overtopping would significantly increase consequences  Critical infrastructure includes numerous hospitals, oil & gas refineries, and chemical industry facilities that could lead to major impacts well beyond the protected area

BUILDING STRONG ® Levee Safety Portfolio Risk Management Process Non-Routine Activities 21

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 Jason Needham  USACE Risk Management Center   Thank you.