Deficient levees found across America

Inspectors taking the first-ever inventory of flood control systems overseen by the federal government have found hundreds of structures at risk of failing and endangering people and property in 37 states. Levees deemed to be in unacceptable condition are in every region of the United States, in cities and towns big and small. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has yet to issue ratings for a little more than 40% of the 2,487 structures, which protect about 10 million people. Of those it has rated, however, 326 levees covering more than 2,000 miles were found in urgent need of repair. The problems are myriad: earthen walls weakened by trees, shrubs and burrowing animal holes; houses built dangerously close to or even on top of levees; decayed pipes and pumping stations. The Associated Press requested, under the Freedom of Information Act, details on why certain levees were judged unacceptable and how many people would be affected in a flood. The corps declined to answer with data on the grounds that such information could heighten risks of terrorism and sabotage. As of Jan. 10, the agency had rated 1,451, or 58%, of them. Of those, 326 were unacceptable, 1,004 were minimally acceptable with deficiencies that need correcting, and 121 were acceptable. Compared with other types of infrastructure, the nation’s levees, within and outside federal jurisdiction, don’t fare well. They earned a “D-” for overall condition from the American Society of Civil Engineers in its latest report card, in 2009, ranking behind dams, bridges, rails, and eight other categories. The full investigative feature by The Associated Press can be found here.