The Army Corps of Engineers announced last month that 17 levee systems in central California totaling 180 miles will be inelligible for federal rehabilitation assistance in the event they are damaged in a flood. This includes 40 miles of levees that protect Sacramento with a population of just under half a million. The reasons cited by The Corps included inadequate inspections and lack of detail in new state and local levee maintenance plans. It looks like the Corps is making a big point for levee owners across the country. But maintenance and inspections are difficult while state and local government budgets are shrinking. [Source: ENR: Engineering News Record. Image: ENR]
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Flooding in Supai Canyon
There have been a number of reports on the flooding in Supai Canyon, near the Grand Canyon this past weekend. I think the best description of the event and the subsequent rescues was from the AZ211 website which I found by way of the Arizona Geology Blog (quoted after the break). The flood was impressive. I hope the areas near Havassu Falls and Mooney Falls were not too heavily damaged. I was fortunate enough to hike and camp that location back in College, the travertine is just amazing and makes the water so green. Mooney Falls and the area downstream are particularly breathtaking. [Photo credit: National Parks Service]
Many reports I’ve seen attribute the flood the result of the failure of the Redlands Dam. But again, the Arizona Geology Blog quotes the National Park Service as saying that the dam is a minor one meant to create a pond for livestock and wasn’t a significant factor in the flooding. The latest reports I saw was that 11 hikers who were missing were located today (by way of Geology.com)