Work to restore Mississippi County levee expected to begin in June

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- If things go as planned and the river doesn't rise, Mississippi County may see its levee restored to its original height.

Presiding County Commissioner Carlin Bennett presented what sounded like good news about the frontline levee during the regular County Commission meeting Thursday.

Bennett said he learned during his meeting with representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday that the corps plans to award the contract around May 31 to rebuild the northern crevasse in the levee up to 55 feet.

"They are actually out in the field today showing the holes to contractors," he said.

Bennett said 30 contractors so far have shown an interest in bidding on the work, although the scope of the project may be beyond many of them.

Work on the levee should begin around "the middle of June," Bennett said, and contractors are "ready to go, so it will go pretty fast."

The work, which is expected to be completed within 90 days, he said, will build the base of the levee wide enough so that it can be built back to its original height of 62.5 feet.

Contracts to build the levee to 62.5 feet are expected to be awarded following the project taking it up to 55 feet, Bennett said.

Bennett said the corps' chief hydrologist was confident that "we won't have [a flooding event] this year."

Commissioners noted it was about this time last year that weather conditions leading to the spring flooding began.

"It started raining Easter Sunday and didn't quit," commissioner Steve Jones said.

Pertinent address:

Charleston, MO