Investigation of Sand Boils near Ware, IL, Middle Mississippi River, Preston Levee District
Abstract
During flooding in 2011, 2013, and 2016 on the Middle Mississippi River between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, MO, high-energy sand boils developed at the land side levee toe. These recent floods varied from moderate to major events but were well below the design flow line for the levees. This report documents a case study of internal erosion at a levee site in southern Illinois near the town of Ware, which is located in the Preston Drainage and Levee District. Site specific geotechnical data from the Ware site were used to identify parameters, such as top stratum thickness, Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) soil types, engineering properties, geologic depositional environments, stratigraphy, and hydraulic gradients, that influence seepage and poor levee performance. An underlying assumption for this study was that sand boils discovered at the Ware site after the flooding in 2013 were formed during a single flood event. However, sand boils are typically associated with chronic seepage related to underlying site geology, levee orientation with the geology, and blocked exit conditions. Thus, seepage problems tend to progress over time in terms of their severity and response to medium to large flood events.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1077720
Entities
People
- Benjamin R. Breland
- Joseph B. Dunbar
- Julie R. Kelley
- Kevin B. Parkman
- Maureen K. Corcoran
- Ryan C. Strange
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center