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<br />FLOOD FIGHTING METHODS 2003 <br /> <br />6.3A <br />Page 31 <br /> <br />FLOOD FIGHTING METHODS ON LEVEES AND <br />ALONG RIVER BANKS <br /> <br />The main causes of levee failure during periods of high <br />water are: <br /> <br />1. Seepage through or under the levee heavy enough to <br />cause a "boil". This can be caused by burrowing animals <br />or decomposing tree roots. <br /> <br />2. Erosion of the levee due to swift moving water or wave <br />action. <br /> <br />3. Overtopping resulting from river water-surface <br />elevations higher than the levee. <br /> <br />The emergency measures used to prevent levee failure <br />from these causes are known as "Flood Fight Methods." <br />The flood fight methods described in this booklet have proven <br />effective during many years of use by the Department of <br />Water Resources, Division of Flood Management and the <br />United States Army Corps of Engineers. However, all <br />measures shown are temporary and cannot be expected to <br />last for extended periods of time. <br /> <br />Structures other than levees may also require flood protection. <br /> <br />Levee Patrol <br /> <br />When water levels reach a predetermined height (Monitor <br />Stage), two person mobile patrols should be assigned to <br />those areas for observation. Patrols should look for <br />wavewash, boils, seepage, cracks, or sloughing. Personnel <br />should maintain communications with the local Incident <br />Command Post (ICP) and report problem areas too large or <br />time consuming to repair with the minimal amount offload <br />fight equipment and material carried in patrol vehicles. <br /> <br />2 <br />