CAHOKIA FLOOD
PROTECTION
BOX CULVERT
- Location: Cahokia, Illinois
- Contractor: Keller Construction
- Size: 160′ of 10′ x 10′ box culvert
- Purpose: To control and prevent underseepage within a levee system.
About this Project
In August 2007, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) concluded that the levees protecting a large area in Southwestern Illinois from flooding no longer met the agency’s requirements. In response, the Southwestern Illinois Flood Prevention District Council (FPD Council) was formed in July 2009 by Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair Counties. Since the FPD Council’s inception, many replacement and rehabilitation projects have been completed to meet FEMA certification. In early 2020, Keller Construction was awarded the bid for a 500-year underseepage control project in Cahokia, Illinois.
IKeller contracted Wieser Concrete to produce 160′ of 10′ by 10′ box culvert to control and prevent underseepage within the levee system along the Mississippi River and Prairie DuPont Canal. Production took 24 days to complete, and included a custom corner box section and gaskets on each section to ensure water tightness. Tom Lavelle, Vice President of Construction for Keller, said, “We chose Wieser Concrete for the job due to their ability to perform the work, pricing, and expectation of quality and service.” On-site, Keller installed a significant dewatering system to control groundwater for the installation. The levee project is expected to be fully completed in about two months.
