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 U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers
Levee Safety Program
Levee Terms
& Definitions
When
discussing levees, there are many terms and
definitions that can mean different things to
different people. Here are a few terms related
to levees and their U.S. Army Corps of Engineers'
definition:
Breach: A
rupture, break or gap whose cause has not been determined.
Corps authority:
There is no single agency with responsibility for levee
oversight nationwide. The Corps has specific and limited
authorities for approximately 2,000 levees nationwide.
Corps rehabilitation funding
eligibility:
Federally authorized and some non-federal levees may be eligible
for Corps rehabilitation assistance
funding if
certain criteria are met.
Failure breach:
A breach for which a cause of failure is known based on an
investigation to determine the cause.
Levee: An
earthen embankment, floodwall, or structure along a water course
whose purpose is flood risk reduction or water conveyance.
Levee
certification:
Process under the national Flood Insurance
Program used to determine how the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) will map the floodplain
behind a given levee system. Certification documentation is the
responsibility of the local project sponsor.
Levees types:
-
Non-federally
authorized levee: Designed and built by a non-federal
agency, which is responsible for the operation, maintenance,
repair and replacement of the levee.
-
Private or
corporate-owned levee: Designed and built by a private
citizen, company or other public entity, which is
responsible for the operation, maintenance, repair and
replacement of the levee. The Corps has no
responsibility for private or corporate-owned levees.
Local
responsibility: The responsibilities of local levee partners
are broad and include levee safety; land use planning and
development; building codes and operations, maintenance, repair,
rehabilitation and replacement of the levee.
Overtopping:
Water levels exceed the crest elevation of a levee and flow into
protected areas. Levee may be damaged but not compromised. Flooding occurs from overflow/overwash (waves) and other
sources.
Overtopping
breach: A breach whose cause is known to be a result of
overtopping (system exceeded). The levee has been
compromised after overtopping and must be repaired to function
prior to the next event.
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