USACE Wood River Levee reconstruction project

The St. Louis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers replaced one of three closure structures on the West Flank of the Wood River Creek near the Olin Corporation April 24. Replacing the structures, and the adjacent floodwall, is one feature of the Corps' Wood River Levee reconstruction project to correct design deficiencies and maintain the levee system's authorized level of protection (approximately 54-feet on the St. Louis gage).

The closure structures replaced 139-feet of floodwall, including the Powder Mill Road closure structure and a Kansas City Southern railroad closure structure. Pile foundations have also been installed and concrete walls and abutments are near completion, Corps officials said.  New steel swing gates are expected to be installed in the railroad and highway openings after the completion of the concrete work.

The Corps' project includes rehabilitating 21 miles of levee in the Mississippi River flood plain of Madison County, Ill. To correct design deficiencies, project features include replacing 163 of 170 existing relief wells and installing 60 new relief wells. Reconstruction project features include the restoration or replacement of 26 closure structures, 38 gravity drains and seven pump stations.

In total, the Corps has expended more than $14.7 million in the reconstruction project that reduces risk to 23,100 residents and workers, and protects approximately $1.8 billion in commercial and residential structures and infrastructure.