Construction on the Chain of Rocks Pump Station

Seven grueling hours in the sun, 32 trucks of material, and 265-cubic yards of concrete marked the start of construction on the Chain of Rocks Pump Station April 18 along the Chain of Rocks Levee near Granite City, Ill.

The pump station is one feature of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District’s project to correct design deficiencies and provide the Chain of Rocks levee with the authorized level of protection of 54-feet on the St. Louis gage.

Located in Madison County, the federally owned and operated levee is one segment of the Metro East Sanitary District Levee System.

The construction of the pump station marks another milestone in the completion of the Corps’ project to reduce risk to those living and working in the Metro East.

The project includes the construction of North and South seepage berms, as well as 37 relief wells.

Project features became necessary after the 1993 flood when sand boils developed along large portions of the levee. Sand boils form when water traveling under the levee carries with it sediments necessary for the longevity and stability of the levee.

This project highlights the Corps’ commitment to reduce risk to the more than 250,000 residents and workers, and $4.5 billion in property assets behind the Metro East Sanitary District Levee System.

In total, the Corps has allocated more than $45.8M in construction to the Chain of Rocks Levee.