BENEFITS ARE SUBSTANTIAL IN REBUILDING AREA LEVEES HIT BY FLOOD

While the floodwaters have receded along much of the mighty Mississippi, the debate over rebuilding the levees has just begun.

This summer's record breaking flood topped or damaged more than two-thirds of the 1,576 levees along the Missouri and upper Mississippi River basins, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. The vast majority of those failures were private levees. But the question on everyone's mind is how many of the levees will be rebuilt, and who will pay for it?

Perry County received good news this week as Congressman Bill Emerson announced that the Bois Brule levee near McBride would be repaired at federal expense. This must come as a great relief to Perry County, since two of its major employees were flooded out by the levee breech. Gilster-Mary Lee Corp. and Sabreliner facilities have been underwater since the levee break on July 25. The two plants employ about 375 people. About 70 families living in the immediate area were displaced, and about 28,000 acres were flooded.

The fact Uncle Sam will pay for the Perry County levee repairs makes sense. It is, after all, a federal levee, built and maintained by the Corps.

This agricultural levee was designed to hold back floods that normally occur once in 50 years. But the flood of 1993 was a so-called 100 plus year flood. We have to wonder if the Perry County levee will be rebuilt at the 50 or 100 year level? If the 50 year is chosen, what's to say this whole mess won't happen again.

The cycle of flooding and rebuilding and flooding and rebuilding has caused great consternation up and down the upper Mississippi basin. We really have to wonder about the cost effectiveness.

A U.S. Corps of Engineers study in early September indicated that of the 1,083 levees damaged, only 203 were eligible for federal aid. Of those, 68 are in the St. Louis Corps district, including Bois Brule levee.

That 68 includes 39 federal agricultural levees, and 29 non-federal levees built to Corps standards. Of the federal agricultural levees, three were breached and nine were overtopped. In addition to Bois Brule, levees were breached at Kaskaskia Island and Hartwell, both in Illinois.

All federal levees are eligible for 100 percent money to rebuild. The non-federal levees built or modified to Corps specifications may be eligible for up to 80 percent of federal dollars to rebuild. Many of these levees are built and maintained by local districts, but are inspected twice a year by the Corps.

Other non-federal levees that do no meet corps specifications will probably not received any federal reconstruction aid. The Fayville levee in Alexander County apparently falls in this category. Agricultural or private levees built with no standards or consistency will also not see any federal aid.

The Corps has told many of the private levee districts that they will have to assume all costs for repair. That's certainly a heavy load to bear, but it really comes down to a question of dollars.

Another kink in the debate centers on the areas behind some of the broken levees. Officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation would like to see some of that land be restored to wetlands.

Repairs to the Bois Brule levee should begin in the coming by mid-October. The break now measures 1,200 to 1,500 feet in length.

So far, the businesses have indicated they have every intention of moving back to Perry County. Both Gilster-Mary Lee and Sabreliner have shifted operations to other plants or temporary quarters. We hope this allegiance remains as the levee is rebuilt. These businesses are important not only to Perry County but to the entire region.

Ironically, Emerson's office had requested the Corps of Engineers to inspect the adequacy of the Bois Brule levee at least a year ago. That study was nearing completion when the levee broke. It looks at both the adequacy and the economic feasibility. Corps officials say the study will continue.

Obviously, the levee was not adequate. We hope the numbers will allow the Brois Brule levee to be strengthened or raised. While we can't always anticipate disaster, we should learn from history.