More Midwest levees may receive "unacceptable" ratings

The City of Decorah's Public Safety Committee will meet Tuesday afternoon to discuss the process of getting the city's levee system recertified.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' St. Paul District has given one of two Decorah levees an "unacceptable" rating.

While Decorah works on getting its levee system back in order, other Midwestern communities may soon be in the same position.  The St. Paul Pioneer Press quotes the St. Paul District's levee safety program manager, Rick Hauck, as saying he expects the corps will make additional "unacceptable" ratings in the next few months.

The Corps of engineers stepped up its levee inspections after Hurricane Katrina overwhelmed levees in New Orleans.  Hauck says the St. Paul office inspected a total of 50 levee systems in late 2009 and in 2010—and the corps has finalized system ratings on just 22 of them.  But based on the information already gathered, Hauck said he expects others to join Decorah on the list.