Jacob McCleland of KRCU reported for this story.
The Army Corps of Engineers will restore the Birds Point-New Madrid levee to its original height by the end of the year. The Mississippi River Commission made the decision last week, according to Army Corps spokesperson Jim Pogue.
“Our level of confidence in our ability to finish this work this year is real high," Pogue said. "We’ve had good weather, good river stages and assuming that the contractor continues to make good progress and our other work in the confluence area goes well, we’ll be right on track.”
That other work includes projects at Cairo, Ill. and Hickman, Ky.
The Corps blew up the levee during last spring’s floods. It will cost $45 million to rebuild the levee to its original 62.5 feet at the Cairo gauge.
