Construction has begun on a tow trench that will aid in sand boil prevention on the Massey-Alexander levee at Jacksonport.
The project is being overseen by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and was contracted to Kingridge Enterprises, Inc.
While the overall view of the project has been a concern to citizens of Jacksonport due to the large amount of digging being done into the side of the levee, Engineer Elmo Webb assures that the construction is safe on the levee and will prevent future sand boils from occurring as they did during the flood of 2008, which was deemed the largest flood Jackson County has encountered, compared only to the flood of 1982.
According to Webb, the two sand boils that occurred on the outside of the levee, in the ditches on either side of Highway 69, were caused by water seepage under the levee. Webb said that most levees and dams have seepage, but the problem is when material is forced out by the seepage, which is called a sand boil.
The trench being built consists of a layer of gravel and a layer of sand which will filter the sand out of the seepage and prevent it from leaving the levee, which will prevent deterioration of the structure.
"The contractor is required to compact the area to a strength the same as or stronger than the levee was before the construction began," he said.
With the gravel being heavier than the sand, it guarantees the sand won't boil out and stands as a safeguard against the levee for strength.
"The odds are we won't encounter that kind of water again, but should we have another flood, this will aid in prevention of levee deterioration," Webb added.
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Construction has begun on a tow trench that will aid in sand boil prevention on the Massey-Alexander levee at Jacksonport.
The project is being overseen by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and was contracted to Kingridge Enterprises, Inc.
While the overall view of the project has been a concern to citizens of Jacksonport due to the large amount of digging being done into the side of the levee, Engineer Elmo Webb assures that the construction is safe on the levee and will prevent future sand boils from occurring as they did during the flood of 2008, which was deemed the largest flood Jackson County has encountered, compared only to the flood of 1982.
According to Webb, the two sand boils that occurred on the outside of the levee, in the ditches on either side of Highway 69, were caused by water seepage under the levee. Webb said that most levees and dams have seepage, but the problem is when material is forced out by the seepage, which is called a sand boil.
The trench being built consists of a layer of gravel and a layer of sand which will filter the sand out of the seepage and prevent it from leaving the levee, which will prevent deterioration of the structure.
"The contractor is required to compact the area to a strength the same as or stronger than the levee was before the construction began," he said.
With the gravel being heavier than the sand, it guarantees the sand won't boil out and stands as a safeguard against the levee for strength.
"The odds are we won't encounter that kind of water again, but should we have another flood, this will aid in prevention of levee deterioration," Webb added.
