Levees in Danger as Midwest Flooding Continues

Flood waters along the Mississippi River continue to rise, leaving many Midwest towns deep under water. The Army Corps of Engineers has just identified 27 levees that may not be high enough to handle the rising waters.

1 minute read

June 18, 2008, 12:00 PM PDT

By Nate Berg


"Mississippi River floodwaters threaten to overwhelm levees in more than two dozen river towns in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, where some communities continue to rely on decades-old flood controls that fall short of modern-day guidelines."

"In Canton, where floodwaters are forecast to crest Thursday, volunteers used boards and sandbags to raise the top of the 44-year-old, 3-mile-long levee that shields much of the town. It was built to withstand floodwaters up to 27.5 feet, but the National Weather Service predicted Tuesday that the Mississippi would peak there at 27.7 feet."

"Similar scenes played out along the Mississippi from southern Iowa to St. Louis - a stretch where the Army Corps of Engineers identified 27 levees that are at risk of being topped by waters."

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 in USA Today

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation