The Midwest flood of 1993: did trees protect levees along the Missouri River?

John P. Dwyer; Douglas Wallace; David R. Larsen

Treesearch

The Midwest flood of 1993: did trees protect levees along the Missouri River?

Informally Refereed

Authors:

John P. Dwyer, Douglas Wallace, David R. Larsen

Year:

1997

Type:

General Technical Report

Station:

Northern Research Station

Source:

In: Pallardy, Stephen G.; Cecich, Robert A.; Garrett, H. Gene; Johnson, Paul S., eds. Proceedings of the 11th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-188. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station: 217

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Abstract

Following the Midwest flood of 1993, a study was initiated along a 39-mile segment of the Missouri River to determine if there was an association between woody corridors and levee stability. A systematic sample of levee failures revealed that primary levees which did not fail had a significantly wider woody corridor than failed levees. Analysis of the total inventory of failed levees revealed that as the width of the woody corridor decreased, the length of the levee failure increased. Number of levee failures and their severity of damage could be reduced if woody corridors were at least 300 feet wide.

Citation

Dwyer, John P.; Wallace, Douglas; Larsen, David R. 1997. The Midwest flood of 1993: did trees protect levees along the Missouri River?. In: Pallardy, Stephen G.; Cecich, Robert A.; Garrett, H. Gene; Johnson, Paul S., eds. Proceedings of the 11th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-188. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station: 217