Corps of Engineers Levee Safety Program Levee Safety Program Manager Jim Martell, P.G. Geologist / Engineer Levee Safety Program Manager Tulsa District Corps of Engineers What is Levee Safety? Well, here is one definition that the USACE has embraced. What does this say? (Read Slide) The Underlying principles here are: Hold life safety paramount above all other objectives Integrate risk informed methods to safety management Communicate risks openly to the public and stakeholders Risks are shared responsibilities – an informed public is empowered to participate in risk management Build public trust Flood Gate In Halstead Kansas

Levee Safety …is the art and science of ensuring the integrity and viability of levees such that they do not present unacceptable risks to the public, property, and the environment What is Levee Safety? Well, here is one definition that the USACE has embraced. What does this say? (Read Slide) The Underlying principles here are: Hold life safety paramount above all other objectives Integrate risk informed methods to safety management Communicate risks openly to the public and stakeholders Risks are shared responsibilities – an informed public is empowered to participate in risk management Build public trust West Columbus, Ohio

National Levee Safety Program Background: USACE Flood Damage Reduction mission began with the 1917 Flood Control Act Significant Role in flood activities nationwide to include the protection of life and property behind federal levee systems. Hurricane Katrina and Rita devastation in 2005 brought levee safety to the forefront of public awareness Findings of investigations into flood damage reduction system’s performance in New Orleans prompted the need for a comprehensive and risk-informed approach to national levee safety, including periodic assessments. I thought I would give you a little background on how the Corps is involved with the new National Levee Safety Program. The USACE flood damage reduction mission began with the 1917 Flood Control Act. The Act gave the USACE a significant role in flood activities nationwide, to include the protection of life and property behind federal program levee systems. Hurricane Katrina’s and Rita ‘s devastation in 2005 brought levee safety to the forefront of public awareness. The findings of subsequent investigations into the flood damage reduction system’s performance in New Orleans identified a need for a comprehensive and risk-informed approach to national levee safety, including periodic inspections.

Graduated Levee Assessments Robust Levee Safety Program Graduated Levee Assessments Routine Inspections: Verifies O&M, More Rigorous Standards, Improved Communication, System-based, Every Year Continuous Feedback Periodic Inspections: Verifies O&M, Evaluates Structure Stability, Compares Constructed Criteria to Current Criteria, Every 5 Years Increasing Rigor, Effort FY07 Developed new, more robust procedures and checklist for routine inspection process. Developed Framework for graduated assessment process – Routine Inspections, Periodic Inspections Developed Levee Inspector Tool (GPS based) for inspections and report preparation Developed initial Periodic Inspection Criteria (based on Dam Safety requirements) FY08 Inspections 3 Regional Training Classes for new inspection procedures and Levee Inspector Tool Finalize Periodic Inspection Criteria for FY09 implementation (to be completed by Policy & procedures team with input from Assessment Methodology team) Used levee inspection tool (laptop) Periodic Assessments Periodic Inspection + Potential Failure Mode and Consequences Analysis, Every 5 Years Risk Assessments Data Intensive, Determine Likelihood and Consequences of Failure, TBD - Every 10 Years

Levee Inspection Program Corps Regulations/Guidance 33 CFR 208.10 ER 500-1-1 (RIP Program) DR 1130-2-530, Project Operations MAINTENANCE STANDARDS, PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES ON MODIFICATIONS TO PROJECTS Levee Owner’s Manual Levee District semi-annual inspection report Laptop Inspection Tool

GPS keeps track of location Pop up menus allow Inspector to enter inspection notes

Levee Safety – Tulsa District Total 231 Miles of Levees and 59 miles of Improved Channels Inspection of Completed Works (ICW) Program 17 Federally constructed/locally operated and maintained levee projects (207 mi.) 11 Federally constructed channel projects totaling 59 mi. Rehabilitation Inspection Program (RIP) 3 Non-Federal (privately constructed/operated and maintained) levee projects (7 mi.) Corps Owned Operated Levees 8 USACE owned/operated levee projects (17 mi.) – Corps Operated and Maintained

National Levee Safety Program - Current Activities Engineering Technical Letter (ETL) No. 1110-2-571 Guidelines for Landscape Planting and Vegetation Management at Levees, Floodwalls, Embankment Dams, and Appurtenant Structures. This ETL does not establish new standards, but clarifies, and supersedes, those formerly presented in EM 1110-2-301 (Jan. 1, 2000). Key Points Fifteen feet is the minimally accepted vegetation free zone (VFZ) and is widely viewed as not sufficient for all projects. To date, no research exists to justify a reduction to existing standards. If an existing project easement (real estate interest) allows for less than 15 feet, the VFZ shall be the maximum attainable within the existing real estate interest. The ETL discusses a limited range of conditions under which a variance to vegetation standards may be granted. The variance request process is currently under revision and interim guidance is available through the HQUSACE Levee Safety Program Manager (LSPM). Public safety will not be compromised. The standards in the ETL are not new, and USACE has considered them critical to flood damage reduction project reliability for decades. The ETL is available at: http://140.194.76.129/publications/eng-tech-ltrs/etl1110-2-571/toc.htm

National Levee Safety Program - Current Activities

National Levee Safety Program Current Activities AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009 – Periodic Inspections of Levees : $90 Million nationwide Opportunity to leverage stimulating the economy through the use of the private sector contractors to accomplish Periodic Inspections with obtaining much needed information about the levee infrastructure throughout the nation. The activity will assist in aggressively advancing the Levee Safety Program toward achieving its goal of reducing flood risks and improving public safety. Complete execution of activities by September 30, 2010. All levees in federal levee program including inactive levees

National Levee Safety Program Current Activities The Levee Screening Tool The Levee Screening Risk Assessment (LSRA) Tool (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet) provides a preliminary assessment of the general condition and associated risks of levee segments and systems in support of the USACE Levee Safety Program. Routine inspection data will be combined with a preliminary engineering assessment to indicate the ability of a levee system to perform as intended and the consequences of potential failure. The LSRA determines a preliminary relative risk index that will consider routine inspection results and ratings coupled with a review and evaluation of historical performance data, as-built drawings, economic and life loss consequences, historic and current hydraulic and hydrology data, and other data. This will help determine the potential for failure and the consequences of failure.

National Levee Safety Program Current Activities National Levee Database – Surveys for Tulsa District Congress directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to develop a national levee inventory to locate and document the status of levees under Federal jurisdiction. A cornerstone of this effort is the National Levee Database (NLD). Contractor, PBS&J, will survey levees this summer, fall and winter in federal program to collect detailed survey information on the levee without any cost to the city/county. This survey information is being collected for the NLD and will be shared with you after it is finalized and quality assurance checks have been completed.

National Levee Database Model Geographic Features floodwall_line levee_centerline protected_area pump_station_point levee_relief_well_piont closure_structure_line levee_crossing_point levee_station_point gravity_drain_line piezometer_point borehole_point sand_boil_point levee_flood_fight_point levee_failure_point cross_section_line encroachment point rehabilitation line Red is mandatory data Yellow is optional