More than a year after severe flooding devastated areas along the Missouri River, repairs to Omaha’s levee system are nearly complete.
Mayor Jim Suttle joined Corps of Engineers and Omaha Public Works officials Friday to discuss the work done following last year’s historic flood. The city of Omaha was under a flood threat last summer for more than three months.
Suttle says $15 million worth of repairs were needed just to the levee. "The city and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff have completed the final walkthrough of the repairs to our levee system completed by the Army Corps of Engineers over the last 12 months. These repairs were made to over 13 miles of earthen levee, including our flood wall, which we depended on so much to hold back those flood waters for almost three months."
Kim Thomas, Chief of the Readiness branch of the Corps' Omaha District, says the levee system had severe erosion, damaged flap games and drainage structures, and grouting on the flood wall.
The city of Omaha spent $31.6 million on prevention and response efforts. All but $1.6 million of the cost was covered by insurance, along with state and federal money.
