Mapping can save lives and property during flooding - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Mapping can save lives and property during flooding

December 12, 2005

Albany-  The United States Geological Survey says a multi-million dollar levee along the Flint River at Albany would not prevent future flooding.

Armed with maps and computer models, the U.S.G.S. says programsThe Army Corps of Engineers had proposed building a levee along the river behind the Albany Civic Center.  But the U.S.G.S.  hydrologists say a levee on the west bank,  which was proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers,  would send water to east Albany.  Instead, they say dredging parts of uneven river bottom to improve flow and straightening out this elbow in the river north of the Oakridge Drive will deter flooding.

"That would increase the velocity through there and hopefully get the river through faster. If we model it, we can see what effect it has before actually spending the money to do that," says Jonathan Musser.

The U.S.G.S. study cost $300,000.  The federal government picked up half the tab,  the city and county paid $75,000 each.

Since the 1994 flood, Albany and Dougherty County have spent more than one million dollars on studies by the U.S.G.S. and the Corp of Engineers.