Congressman Costello – Corps of Engineers host Illinois Levee Summit

Congressman Jerry Costello (D-Illinois 12th District) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District hosted an Illinois Levee Summit onboard the Corps Motor Vessel Mississippi at the Melvin  Price Locks and Dam, Wednesday, August 15.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide a forum for leaders within levee districts, Federal, State, and Local governments, businesses and communities to discuss the importance of flood risk management to their communities and to develop strategies for providing a more reliable system of protection. 

One objective of the Levee Summit was to communicate risk and reliability of flood protection systems and to develop a tool for continuous communication between the Corps and those associated with these systems. 

The Summit allowed Congressman Costello and the Corps to gather stakeholder input and develop a path forward for a more reliable system of protection.  It allowed for a dialogue of “systems management” between levee districts. 

Agency personnel explained levee program requirements and address information relative to reconstruction of flood protection systems. The agenda included participation by Congressman Costello, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  A risk inundation model developed as a tool for communications in New Orleans will also be briefed by the Corps.