Recently, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) invited RKR Hess engineers to make a presentation at the Flood Protection Program’s 14th Annual Workshop. Held in State College, Pa., the workshop was attended by municipal representatives responsible for the operation and maintenance of flood protection projects, as well as representatives from agencies that regulate and inspect these facilities.
Attendees were able to review Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) levee certification requirements, and evaluate how best to prepare for the levee certification process and necessary levee structure rehabilitations. In 2011, FEMA issued new preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)—which became effective in 2013—and many municipalities were issued letters labelling levees as Provisionally Accredited Levees (PALs). Because of this, FEMA now requires levee certification to confirm that the levee system qualifies to protect areas within the municipalities from flooding.
To aid municipalities with preparing and completing the levee certification process, RKR presented a case study at the workshop. Entitled “East Stroudsburg and Stroudsburg Levee Certification Process,” the case study discusses the levee certification process for the Brodhead and McMichael’s Creek levee system within East Stroudsburg, Stroudsburg, and Stroud Township. The presentation included the history of the levee system, the items required for certification, and several unique challenges encountered during the project. The elements required for the certification included a freeboard analysis, structural evaluation, as-built plan certification, operation and maintenance requirements, and an interior drainage analysis.
The information presented by RKR Hess, as well as the levee engineering services it provided to East Stroudsburg, Stroudsburg and Stroud Township, are extremely valuable to municipalities across Pennsylvania who are beginning the required levee certification process.
To view the entire presentation, please click here.
