Cotton Contact: Caroline Tabler (202) 224-2353
Boozman Contact: Patrick Creamer (202) 224-4843
Crawford Contact: James Arnold (202) 225-4076
WASHINGTON - Today, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas), and Congressman Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas) sent a letter to R. D. James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, urging him and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help state and local agencies strengthen the Pocahontas Levee on the Black River in Arkansas.
In May 2017, the Black River flooded, and water levels rose well above the Pocahontas Levee's structural capacity. It sustained nine overtop breaches, resulting in an estimated $100 million in property damages.
To strengthen the levee, state and local agencies need to enter into a Section 205 agreement with the Corps under the Continuing Authorities Program (CAP 205), which would allow for a cost-sharing agreement between the parties for a study of the levee's deficiencies. Although these agencies and Governor Hutchinson have offered to act as the necessary "non-federal" sponsor for the study, they're still waiting for the Corps to sign on.
As a result, in their letter, the senators and congressman ask the Corps to take action.
"The Pocahontas Levee is critical infrastructure that the county of Randolph relies on," they write. "We are concerned that the surrounding areas remain vulnerable to flooding while the levee is incapable of protecting these communities. We strongly urge the Corps to make resources available to enter into an appropriate CAP 205 agreement for the study of the Pocahontas Levee."
The full text of the letter is below or can be found by clicking here.
March 23, 2018
The Honorable R.D. James
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works
United States of America
441 G Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20314
Dear Assistant Secretary James,
Congratulations on your confirmation and thank you for your commitment to working with state and local governments to modernize our nation's outmoded waterways infrastructure. We would like to bring your attention to challenges with flooding on the Black River in Pocahontas, Arkansas, where the Pocahontas Levee gave way to flooding, leading to devastating property loss across thousands of acres.
The Pocahontas Levee is critical infrastructure that the county of Randolph relies on. Last May, the river flooded and water levels rose well above the structure's intended retention capacity. The levee sustained nine overtop breaches, resulting in an estimated $100 million of property loss.
We ask that the Corps of Engineers (the Corps) take action to study the deficiencies in the Levee which have made it vulnerable to overtop flooding. In doing so, we ask that the Corps work closely with Arkansas state and municipal agencies.
Since the event, local entities have sought to repair the levee and enter into a Section 205 agreement with the Corps under the Continuing Authorities Program (CAP 205), which would allow for a cost-sharing agreement between the parties for a study of the Levee. This study will allow the Corps and Arkansas to address the problem and ensure that this level of flooding does not take place again. Local and state entities, including Governor Hutchinson, have extended the offer to act as the necessary "non-federal" sponsor for the study, but still await the appropriate pledge in response from the Corps of Engineers.
We are concerned that the surrounding areas remain vulnerable to flooding while the levee is incapable of protecting these communities. We strongly urge the Corps to make resources available to enter into an appropriate CAP 205 agreement for the study of the Pocahontas Levee.
Sincerely,
