Columbus levee set to be re-certified in summer 2018

March 28--COLUMBUS -- After 10 long years, the levee in Columbus will officially be re-certified this summer.

New Orleans was impacted with Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and it was due to its city's levee not meeting the federal standards. Since then, the federal government requires all levees around the nation to be recertified.

Among numerous severe weather conditions, Columbus is most prone to strong winds -- reaching upward of 90 mph -- and flooding, said Tim Hofbauer, director of Columbus and Platte County Emergency Management.

The city levee is the main source of protection against flash floods and it needs to maintain a certain base elevation, Hofbauer said.

"The levee protects 30 percent of the city from mandatory flood insurance," said Doug Moore, public property director at City of Columbus.

If residents are living in a non-protected area, it is mandatory for them to apply for flood insurance.

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is an optional flood insurance provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that local residents can apply for. If residents do not abide by the federal building regulations for their homes or property, the federal government will not certify the insurance.

"If somebody comes in and wants to build a house in a floodway, they can't," said Tara Vasicek, city administrator at City of Columbus. "And in a floodplain, there are a lot of minimum requirements to meet."

While some might perceive these rules and regulations as cumbersome, they put in place to protect the people, their livelihood and investments, she said.

Throughout this time frame, parts of the levee were raised ensuring that it meets the required height that could withstand a treacherous downpour , Moore said.

The levee's underdrain systems were also reconstructed to meet the standards implemented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers while ensuring that it is functioning optimally. The corps inspects the levee annually.

Throughout the years, the levee in Columbus still functions at a high level and only suffered minor deterioration due to weather changes. it's passed every annual inspection completed by the corps every year, Moore said.

"The levee protects a huge percentage of the community and it is designed for the 100th year (severe flooding) event," Vasicek said.

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