As Rivers Swell, So Does the Risk of Levee Failure

September 30, 2010 | Global Warming, Floods & Floodplains, Small Streams & Wetlands, Greening Water Infrastructure

Shana Udvardy
Director, Flood Management Policy

It’s time for a 21st century approach to flood management.

As the climate changes, bringing more frequent and intense storms and floods, communities living near streams and rivers and on our coasts are facing increasing threats.  This past month, the upper Midwest received higher than normal levels of rainfall.  Wisconsin and Minnesota received 11 inches of rainfall this past week causing rivers to swell and levees to break.  At these times, we are unfortunately reminded of how flood control structures can, and do fail.  Monday morning, Wisconsin emergency officials reported that the 120 – year old sand levee along the Wisconsin River failed, flooding an estimated 100 homes and bringing heartbreaking images of flooded homes, stranded families, and devastated lives.

The levee system was built in the 1890’s without regard to engineering design, flood protection standards, or future development.  The area behind the levee has since been developed giving people a false sense of security and putting them in harm’s way.  Although there is “residual” risk associated with every levee, and every flood control structure for that matter, this risk is poorly communicated allowing ill-informed communities to believe that they are safe when they are not. 

Unfortunately, the trend of building in the shadow of structural projects in the mistaken belief that they will stop flooding shows no sign of letting up. 

The rising toll of annual floods sends a clear message: it is time to adopt a 21st century approach to flood management.  One that places our “natural defenses” – wetlands, rivers, floodplains, and upland areas – at the core of flood management.  This green infrastructure is the most reliable, cost-effective, and flexible practice for communities to adapt to a changing climate.  These approaches won’t altogether replace traditional engineering but will augment and buffer those traditional approaches. 

As the National Committee on Levee Safety hosts workshops throughout the country to hear recommendations for a national levee program, it behooves all of us to tell the Committee that the nation needs a national flood management program, one that addresses flood risk broadly and one that includes green infrastructure approaches – not just levee safety. 

A national flood management program must:

• Embrace green infrastructure and nonstructural approaches as a first option to flood management before developing new grey infrastructure such as levees and dams.
• Inventory ALL levees, federal, nonfederal, and private because we must understand and communicate the level of risk no matter who owns the levee. 
• Ensure that flood insurance is required behind all flood control structures because it is the single best mechanism to raise risk awareness, protect financial interests, and ensure upkeep.
• Ensure no new levees are constructed to allow development in currently undeveloped flood-prone areas.
• Set goals to set existing levees back to allow room for rivers.

We can’t rely on the engineered fixes of the past. While levees will still play a role in flood management, we need to focus on common-sense, cost-effective natural flood protection solutions like restoring wetlands, keeping people out of harm’s way in the first place, and allowing room for rivers.

Our approach must be to work with nature and not against it.  By making the harder smart choices today, we can save families from tragedy tomorrow. 

For more information on the meetings in Dallas, TX, Sacramento, CA, Portland, OR and Augusta, GA, view the NCLS events page.

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