The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District has awarded a $37.4 million construction contract to Weston Solutions of Chester, Pennsylvania, for closing the final breach on the L-550 levee system before Mar. 1.
This contract is the second final repair contract to be awarded for the Missouri River Left Bank Levee Systems, which will allow the Corps to begin repairing the levee system to its congressionally authorized level in turn restoring the flood risk management benefits provided by the levee system.
The contract also utilizes a portion of the recently established $1B in contract capacity the Omaha District put in place following the March 2019 flooding.
Closing this breach will reduce the life safety risk to the communities and landowners behind this levee system as the 2020 run-off season nears.
However, it is important to note that there is an elevated risk associated with any levee system, including the L-550 levee system, while damages still remain on the levee system.
“ The team has been working around the clock to repair the L-550 levee system. Having this contract in place will allow the team to continue these efforts moving forward, as we understand how important these Missouri River levee systems are to the local communities and the nation as a whole, ” said Rachel Shrader, the USACE Project Manager for the L-550 Levee Repair Project .
Missouri River Levee System L-536 is the next levee system in line to have a final repair contract in place, with the contracting process already underway.