As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wraps up its work to strengthen flood protection for Cape Girardeau along the Mississippi River, the city is moving toward the start of a similar project to help the floodwall meet safety criteria based on lessons learned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency during Hurricane Katrina.

Bids for a project that will involve removal of concrete and the replacement of steel in the river-side foundation of the floodwall near the Themis Street gate were opened Tuesday. The city council will review and approve bids at its Oct. 1 meeting. The cost of the work is estimated to be around $140,000, which will be paid for with capital improvement funds, according to city engineer Casey Brunke.

Stan Polivick, the city's storm-water coordinator, said the purpose of the work is so that the floodwall will adhere to upgraded standards now required by the federal government. A recent analysis of the floodwall found some of the steel contained doesn't currently meet the standards.

Work will likely begin shortly after the council approves bids and should take about three weeks, Polivick said. The Themis Street floodgate will be closed to pedestrians while work is being done.

Efforts to shore up protection from flooding for the city have been going on since 2008, when the corps began work to replace a sagging portion of the floodwall, replace drains, add rock along the river to prevent erosion and upgrade pumping stations. Federal funds paid for the $7.8 million in improvements.

Inspection of gates was ongoing at the Merriwether pumping station Tuesday. Polivick said the city has been waiting on the inspection for months because the corps was behind schedule.

Polivick said the corps' projects are now nearly complete after schedules had to be amended several times due to flooding and high water levels, which made some work impossible. Now after a summer of drought, he doesn't expect any more setbacks.

"I think the river is going to cooperate for a change," he said.

Crews are also relocating a sewer line this week along North Main Street in anticipation of flood protection work that isn't yet funded.

Polivick said the work of the corps and the city is designed to ensure the integrity of the whole levee protection system for Cape Girardeau, which consists of an earthen levee to the north of the floodwall, the floodwall itself and the pumping stations.

The corps inspects the system annually and steps up the level of the inspection every five years.

"Over the last few of those, dating back to 1996, they were starting to see some signs of age and wear on the wall segments and seals," Polivick said. "Nothing was ever really a threat of failure, but this work that they've done up to now has kind of been like routine maintenance on your house."

He said he believes the system will continue to function as it should for more flood events, which he said is to the corps' credit, because the system is aging.

"It's done well over the years and is expected to be a really strong defense against the river into the future," he said.

A call to the corps office overseeing the project wasn't immediately returned Tuesday.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

Themis and Water streets, Cape Girardeau, MO