Posted on 02/01/2007 5:27:23 PM PST by Clintonfatigued
One hundred twenty-two levees from Maryland to California are at risk of failing, according to a list released Thursday by the Army Corps of Engineers.
There could be danger to people who live in communities near some of the levees as well as a chance that they will have to pay more for insurance, said Butch Kinerney of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's national flood insurance program.
The list was released in response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by news organizations, including The Associated Press.
If the Corps of Engineers determines a levee to be at risk of failing, homeowners in the area could be required to purchase flood insurance, though exceptions can be made.
Communities near the levees have been notified that they have received an "unacceptable maintenance inspection rating." That means a levee has one or more problems, which can include movement of floodwalls, faulty culverts, animal burrows, erosion or tree growth, according to a statement released by the Corps.
California, with 37 suspect levees, and Washington state, with 19, led the list.
FEMA's Kinerney said he was concerned that the levees present not only a chance of higher insurance costs but a danger to those living nearby. FEMA maps flood plains and helps determine the flood risks that communities face.
Kinerney said people living near the levees should have an evacuation plan, a family emergency plan, and a disaster supply kit, along with flood insurance.
The Corps has been warning communities they need to take care of routine levee maintenance, said Larry Larson, director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers. Larson said he was glad the Corps was putting out the word on the levees.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
the heck with the rest of these, Nagin, Landrieu and Blanco want ALL the money..
This is alarming. Not exciting ideological news, but very important just the same.
I drove my Chevy to the levee and the levee was dry.
Do you have a link to the actual (listed) questionable sites or is it buried in the links?
Louisiana, some places in California, and I'm sorry but I forgot where else. There isn't a "list" per se but I found a link that had a photo layout naming the states.
Shoot! I was sure this title was directing me to a story about the Sacramento-Bay Delta!!! It's next, ya know...
The first paragraph says "One hundred twenty-two levees from Maryland to California" I was wondering if the suspect structures in this state (Maryland) were readily identifiable.
Wull... Shazzam!!! That's what I git for makin a reply based on the replies, instead of reading even the trunkated snippette of the artickle!!!
Unfortunately we face at least two years of Clinton advertising by her adoring adherents in the M.S.M.,
even more if they are sucessful.
As to the levy-issue almost every man-made object
is prone to failure after a period of time.
Most humans realize water can be a friend and
too much water a firery mistress.
I'm glad I live in Wisconsin. Virtually no natural disasters except for the occasional tornado and snowstorm.
The only one I know of is in the Yahoo News article.
http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/releases/leveelist.pdf
And if you don't take care of them, they come and plant bombs at the bottom...
Calypso Louie told me so...
I suppose Madison doesn't cound as a "natural" disaster...
Get the fedgov out of the flood insurance business.
The report indicated that the weak, damaged, or just worn-out levees could be propped up with huge sums of money. "Nothing plugs a leak like a couple dump trucks full of c-notes," said one congressman whose district happens to include several wealthy contractors.
Typical Chevy owner; can't even drive the damn things on a rainy day! :o)
In our defense, we were drinking whiskey and rye and singing.
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