Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

To:	Dave Corliss City Manager
From:	Chuck Soules Public Works Director
cc:	Debbie Van Saun Asst. City Manager
Date:	April 20, 2007
Re:	Levee Recertification

The Kansas River levee was completed in 1975.  It is 11.5 miles long and is owned and maintained by the City of Lawrence.  The levee protects North Lawrence from the Kansas River and also extends along Mud Creek.  The levee crew of the Public Works Department mows and maintains the banks and slopes of the levee, makes minor repairs, maintains the trail and riprap, maintains the flood control gates, and addresses any other maintenance issues.  Of the $118,800 budgeted in 2007 for levee operations, $20,000 is funded by the Kaw Drainage District.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers annually inspects the City’s records and activities associated with levee maintenance and operations.  FEMA has mandated that the levee protecting North Lawrence be recertified by June, 2009.  Unfortunately, no funding has been provided by either the Corps of Engineers or FEMA to complete the recertification process.  The cost for recertification of the levee could be several hundred thousand dollars.  Failing to meet the recertification process would remove the levee from flood insurance protection maps which would place all of North Lawrence in the flood plain.  There would be several repercussions, including increased insurance rates from affected property owners.

An extension of the deadline is being pursued by City staff.  Funding sources for the recertification will need to be identified as soon as possible, making this an excellent topic of conversation with our federal elected officials during any upcoming visits to Washington DC by City Commissioners.

Public Works staff has done an excellent job with maintenance of the levee, as verified by the findings during the annual inspections.  However, this is an aging levee and there could be a disparity between maintaining the levee to the mid 70’s standards versus the 2007 standards.  Costs for any required improvements could be substantial.  A letter from FEMA outlining the process and requirements of the recertification of the levee is attached.