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Levee
dangers - Failure not imminent, but risk remains
Five
leaks now identified
By
STEVE KADEL
H&N Staff Writer
 |
| Homeowners
Frank Tycksen and Bill Cox talk to Michael Ramsbotham of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday about the repairs for the
southwest |
Breach of a levee along
That
was the assessment Friday from Mike Ramsbotham, a specialist from the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Sacramento District office. He spoke
during a meeting with officials who have been monitoring the levee since
it began leaking during the Memorial Day weekend.
“Failure
is not imminent,” Ramsbotham said.
He said that placing rock along the levee where water
is seeping through, which has been done, was the best course of action.
“At this point, because of aggressive placement of
rock, my recommendation is to watch closely and monitor what is going
on,” Ramsbotham said.
Leaks
stabilized
Bill Thompson, Klamath County Emergency Services
manager, cautioned the situation is still serious given the high level
of the lake, wind and wave action. Five leaks have now been identified.
Water continues to flow through them, but they have been stabilized.
Most problem areas appear to have been caused by
rodents and roots. Erosion on the water side made the situation worse,
according to the county’s latest report on the situation.
Vegetation
removal
Ramsbotham suggested that trees and other vegetation
along the levee be removed because roots act as conduits for water to
move through the earthen levee. He also suggested getting rid of
rodents.
“Vegetation removal is going to be our priority
right now,” agreed Allen Irvine of Lakeshore Gardens Irrigation
District, which owns the levee.
Efforts to shore up the levee have reduced the water
leaking through to about half the original amount Friday, said Jim
Mueller, president of JCM Inc. The rate earlier was estimated at 40
gallons a minute.
Hauling rock
Mueller’s firm has been hauling rock to the site.
Mueller said the bill for transportation and the rock itself would be
about $11,500 as of Friday evening. He has donated his time to help with
the project, and has donated equipment at the staging site to be on hand
in case of a breach.
Thompson asked Ramsbotham if the situation qualified
for funding from the Corps of Engineers. Ramsbotham said he wasn’t
certain, although he did advise thorough investigation of the levee —
including the exact water source — before investing money in a
long-term fix.
“I’m very reluctant to suggest a permanent fix
without doing the due diligence,” he said, adding that water at the
west end of the levee might be coming from a hillside rather than from
the lake.
Flood plain
area
If the levee were breached, about 12 structures on the
north side of
Allen said the north side of
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