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Draft EA for Missouri River Benton-Washington Levee Unit L-575 near Hamburg, Iowa available for public comment

Published Nov. 28, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. – A draft environmental assessment (EA) for levee repairs (L-575 Benton-Washington levee system) along the left descending bank of the Missouri River near Hamburg, Iowa is currently available for public review. The draft EA evaluates the environmental impacts of repairing damage to the levee caused by high flows in May 2017. Repairs would include replacing lost earthen material along the riverside levee toe and compacting it to the appropriate slope along with planting grass seed via drill seeding and placing an erosion control blanket until vegetation is established. Repairs will be completed under the Corps’ PL 84-99 Emergency Levee Rehabilitation Program

BACKGROUND: From February through April of 2017, above normal precipitation fell across southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa along the Missouri River resulting in above normal soil moisture across the region. In May 2017, a significant series of heavy storms caused high flows along the Missouri River downstream of Omaha. The increased soil moisture and early summer storms stressed the levee system resulting in levee toe erosion and vegetation to be killed on a portion of the L-575 left bank segment. Without repairs, erosion will continue during future high flows. 

The public is encouraged to provide comments on the draft environmental assessment, which is available for viewing at: www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Planning/Project-Reports/. Comments can be mailed to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District; CENWO-PM-AC; ATTN: Matthew Vandenberg/L-575 Levee EA; 1616 Capitol Avenue; Omaha, NE 68102-4901. Comments can also be emailed to: cenwo-planning@usace.army.mil. Comments must be postmarked or received no later than December 28, 2017. 

This draft EA is consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Corps’ regulations for implementing NEPA (33 CFR 325 and Engineering Regulation 200-2-2) and other applicable environmental laws and regulations.


Contact
Omaha District PAO
402-995-2417

Release no. 17-104