Inspecting Levees within Multiple Jurisdictions

ABSTRACT ONLY - Inspection of levees is made more challenging when the levee system is operated and maintained by multiple governments. Program clarity is needed to ensure overall compliance with USACE and FEMA guidelines. The entire levee system must adequately protect communities and infrastructure and enable access for flood fighting. Planned coordination is important to conduct training and to communicate seamlessly internally and with the public during flood events and emergencies that may trigger an integrated Emergency Action Plan.
Key components of levee inspection include developing the pre-inspection plan, conducting interviews with the responsible government entities and assigned contractors/consultants, documenting levee sections with historical maintenance and operational challenges, assembling design, construction and operational records, and reviewing future levee modification plans.
The complexity of these components multiplies when multiple entities each have partial responsibility. The inspection can be transformed into an action plan to facilitate coordination among these entities with a goal of clarifying responsibilities and obtaining uniformity in inspection, maintenance, construction, vegetation planting and management, pipe penetrations, erosion control, and other areas.
This paper utilizes case studies of rural and urban levee systems to illustrate inspection challenges and the role of the inspection team in assisting the local sponsor and impacted communities in coordination of levee maintenance, operations, regulatory guidance, and emergency planning and training to be in compliance with state and national standards.