MILLER CITY, ILL. LEVEE REPAIRS MAY BEGIN THIS WEEK

MILLER CITY, Ill. -- Construction of a new levee will get under way near here this week.

"The contract has been let, the equipment is here, easements on farm property have been acquired, and everything is on go for emergency repairs to the Len Small Levee," said Louis Maze, Alexander County commissioner and a resident of nearby Olive Branch.

A portion of the 17-mile levee along the Mississippi River broke in mid-July allowing floodwaters of the river to cover more than 30,000 acres of farm land, leaving havoc in its wake.

"The Mississippi River took the levee out and was in danger of cutting a new channel in this area," said Greg Patton, a farmer who lost about 900 acres of crops and his home to the raging waters. "In at least one area here the water was as deep as 80 feet."

Patton is looking to the 1994 farm season but may be able to farm only 200 of his 900 acres because of sand left from the receding waters.

"In some areas there is 5 to 6 feet of sand," he said. "And there are a lot of scour holes."

Patton hopes that Luhr Brothers Inc., a Columbia contractor, will move much of the sand.

"They'll need it for the new levee," said Patton.

Luhr Brothers submitted the low bid of $2.4 million for the levee repair.

The contractor moved the majority of equipment into place Thursday.

"A couple of the dozers were at work Friday," said Patton. "They still have to bring in a few pieces of equipment, including several "light units" to be used for night work. Once they get everything going, they'll work 24 hours a day to meet the target deadline."

The project, which includes construction of almost three miles of levee at two locations, requiring more than 630,000 cubic yards of fill material, is scheduled to be completed March 30.

The new level will be built at an elevation of 342.6, said Patton. "That's the same height of the old levee that broke."

Patton said the height was adequate. "We still had 6 feet of freeboard when the levee broke during the summer," he said.

"We've worked hard to bring these critical repairs to a reality," said Patton, a member and vice president of the Len Small Levee District, designed to provide protection from the Mississippi River to the communities of Miller City, Olive Branch and Willard, as well as the Horseshoe Lake Conservation Area and thousands of acres of farm land.

Patton credits U.S. Rep. Jerry Costella for getting the project approved.

"Without Costella work would not be starting next week on this levee project," said Patton. "He has helped us in every way he could."

Costella, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, Len Small Levee District and Alexander have been working together to get the project funded, under way, and completed before the threat of spring flooding.

U.S. Government funding is provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and makes up 90 percent of the cost of the project. The Department of Commerce and Community Affairs is providing $274,040 from the Community Development Assistance Program's supplemental flood program funds for construction cost share, county administrative expenses and land acquisition by the levee district.

Maze returned from Springfield Friday with funds in hand to pay farmers for land easements. "Easements had to be obtained before any work could be started," said Maze.

The Illinois Transportation Department, which prepared the plans and specifications for the repairs, will oversee the project.

Meanwhile, travel is limited in some areas.

"The blacktop road from the Cache Diversion area to Willard is closed just a few feet from Route 3," said Joe Plemons, Alexander County engineer. The scour hole there will take about 60,000 cubic yards of material to fill, and we don't want to make that repair until we have some protections from spring flooding."

Another impassible area is just south of Miller City, where the levee broke.

"When the levee broke it washed across the levee and started churning," said Plemons. "It kept churning, creating a deep hole ... about 80 feet deep."

That cuts out the southern route to Willard. "The only way to get to the Willard community is to take the Public Shooting Area road near the Horseshoe Lake spillway," said Plemmons.

Plemons agreed that a lot of farm land may not be farmed this spring.

"It all depends on weather and the levee repair," he said. "People won't plant too many crops until they're sure that the levee is ready."