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Here's an article on the safety of the levee's, I don't know if this is the answer you're looking for, because some did fail during Hurricane Katrina, I understand that that was a completely different circumstance though. Hope this helps?

6:29 p.m. CDT, May 3, 2011
FAST FACTS:

* The Mississippi River is expected to rise at least four more feet over the next several days
* The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now monitoring the levees in shifts, 24 hours a day
* Engineers say the public shouldn't be concerned about them failing


(West Memphis, AR 5/3/2011) Some levees along the "Mighty Mississippi" are being tested like never before

and that's means the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working overtime to make sure they don't fail.

Inspectors are now monitoring the Mississippi levees in the region night and day.

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Tuesday morning they were in West Memphis, Arkansas-- an area that has already been hit hard by flooding.

For the second time in just a week Pennie Jenkins is living out of her truck because after days of rain her house is again knee deep in water.

"If the water goes down I can get in an see how much damage," said Jenkins.

She says as bad as this is, things could get much worse for everyone in town.

"I can imagine it getting worse if that levee breaks," said Jenkins.

But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says people living in the West Memphis/Memphis area shouldn't be concerned about that happening because they are on top of the situation, literally.

"We hit them twice a day. Once in the morning and one at night," Andrew Smothers with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Corps of Engineers has brought in extra help from around the country.

Engineers and biologist are walking up and down the levees looking for any signs of water seepage or dirt that is moving.

"We are not worried at all in this area about water going on top of the levee they are plenty high, but if water starts moving material, dirt underneath the levee then it can cause a hole, ultimately a failure," said Smothers.

Each day the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inspects thousands of miles of levees along the Mississippi every day.

Engineers say millions has been spent on their design.

It's so good in fact, it's studied by people from all over the world.

"We monitor it just because it's such a tremendous loss of life and property," said Smothers.

Engineers say the Mississippi is expected to rise at least four more feet here, well below the top of this levee and there is no chance it will break.

"Up north around in the Missouri area there are areas being tested like never tested before, but we are monitoring 24 hours a day," said Smothers.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says right now there are between 100-150 inspectors monitoring the levees in the Memphis area and farther north.

Copyright © 2011, WREG-TV
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