Army Corps Engrs Couler ValleyPHONE: 563-589-4441
FAX: 563-589-7884
EMAIL: brdofsup@dbqco.org
COURTHOUSE
DUBUQUE, IOWA 52001-7053
DONNA L. SMITH
JIM WALLER
ERIC MANTERNACH
November 12, 2003
Mayor Terry Duggan
City of Dubuque
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque IA 52001
Dear Terry:
Enclosed is the very good news that t~
completing the Section 208 Study
Corps of Engineers will be
March of 2004.
The Fact Sheet from ti
whether solutions can be found.
in the area in and
][ look forward
legislators on this issue.
and our Federal
encl.
cc: Mike Van Milligen City ~er
CHARLES E. GRASSLEY
0 .... eL 20, 2003
Ms. Donna L. Smith
D%~buque County Board of Supervisors
Courthouse
Dear Ms?~S~ith:
(712) 322-7103
Thank you for your letters. It is always good to hear from you.
Please accept my apolog~ for the delay in this response.
I appreciate your continued communication regarding the Little
Maq/uoketa River (Cou!er Valley) flood control project. I have
been working with the Rock Island Army Corps of Engineers on this
project. It is my understanding that the Section 208 study, to
determine the potential federal interest in the project, will be
completed by March 2004. If the study indicates that there is a
federal interest, the Corps will be able to proceed with a
federal project to reduce flooding caused by obstruction of the
river.
Also, enclosed please find a fact sheet that has recently been
provided to my office from the Corps regarding the project. I
hope this information is helpful to you.
Thank you again for your letters. I look forward to continuing
to work with you, Dubuque County, and the Corps on this project
Keep in touch~ '
CEG/cv
Sincerely,
United States Senator
JUDIC:ARy
AGRICULTURE
!NTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS
CAUCUS
October 2003
FACT SHEET
PROJECT: Little Maquoketa River (Couler Valley), Dubuque County, Iowa
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: IA-01
AUTHORITY: Section 208 of the 1954 Flood Control Act, as amended.
LOCATION: The study area is limited to approximately three (3) miles of the Little Maquoketa River
from just upstream of E[ighway 52 to its confluence with the Mississippi River. The study area is located
adjacent to the Couler Valley, Dubuque County, Iowa.
PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES: Significant localized flooding on the Little Maquoketa River
can occur as a result of storms w/th a return frequency of between two (2) and five (5) years. The flood of
record occurred on August 8, 1972; flooding has aisc occun-ed in i993, 1999, 2000 and 2003. Due to a
Iow hydraulic gradient, sediment is deposited in the last three (3) miles of the fiver prior to its confluence
w/th the Mississippi River. This has reduced the drainage capacity of the river system. Existing bridges
may be hydraulically undersized and therefore unable to effectively convey flows downstream. During
flood conditions the problems are aggravated by debris, typically trees and other river bank vegetation,
being transported down stream and creating a debris dam when these materials lodge against a bridge pier
or abutment.
The potential exists that stream capacity can be increased and flooding reduced if sediment, trees and
other vegetation are removed from the fiver channel. The study's purpose is to determine if sediment
deposits or other changes have impacted stream flow and increased flood peaks. A field survey has been
completed to develop current channel cross sections for comparison to historical records through the use
of a numerical hydraulic model. This model is currently in the development stage.
SIJ1VK~4RIZED FINANCIAL DATA: The estimated cost of the Planning and Design Analysis (PDA)
is $60,000. No construction cost estimate is available. Costs in excess of $40,000 will require a 35%
local cost share if implementation of a Federal project is justified.
ALTERNATIVE PLANS CONSIDERED: Depending on the cause(s) identified for flooding in the
study, various alternatives will be considered. These may include stream channel modifications or
improvements to existing hydraulic structures.
¥_TEWS OF TZ~Di; ~ '~-~, *
· ,,~,~A_L SPONSOR: Dubuque County formally requested USACE's assistance in the
preparation of a hydrologic hydraulic study of the Couler Valley area by letter dated November 4, 2002.
VIEWS OF FEDERAL, STATE ~4aND REGIONAL AGENCIES: The flooding problems along this
reach of the Little Maquoketa River have been discussed with Senator Grassley and Congressman Nussle,
,epr,,s~-mtan; es of ~he C~ty ~ . , .
of*~ubuque, Dubuque County, the C~ or SagevHle, and interested members
of the general public. The participation of all stakeholders will be encouraeed and continued throuehout
the study process. ~ ~
rlVIPLE~M]~NTATION PHASE: The study was initiated in May 2003 and is scheduled to be comnleted
in the second quarter of FY 04. Channel cross-sectian surveys have been completed and hydraulic'
modeling is under,ray.
.OEN, OF CON.AC.. Dennis Hamilton, Project Management Branch, Plannmg, Progams, and
Project -Mana¢ement Division. telephone 309/794-5634: E-mail address:
2ennCs.w.namiiton(~usace.armv.miI~
PHONE: 583-589-4441
FAX: 563-589-7884
EMAIL: brdofsup@dbqco.er§
COURTHOUSE
DUBUQUE, IOWA 52001-7053
DONNA L. SMITH
JIM WALLER
ERIC MANTERNACH
July 28, 2003
Senator Tom Hafidn
United States Senam
53 1 Hart Office Building
Washington DC 20510
Dear Tom:
Your help is really necessary to identify $30,000 in the ~ontinuing resolution for the 1954 Flood
Control Act. CharmeI Dredging Fund, for a U.S. At-my Cbrps of Engineers Special Stmdv of
flooding problems in the Co@Ier Valley fi:om the Little Maquoketa River.
If tl0/s money can be identified this summer: the .Ax'my Corps of Engineers can continue the
This pr~ect is ofvitaI importance to Dubuque County because the Little Maquoketa River
continues ro sigr&Scantly rTooct in. the Couler Valley and the S agevilie. Drainage Distr/ct north of
Dubuque.
Sincere!v.
;Ii '-L/ '
Dorma L. Smith
Dubuque CountS, Supervisor
cc: Depmis Hamikon. U.S..~q-ny Corps of Enginee~
\,like Zuko~vskL U.S. _~m2y Corps of Engineers
lune 23, 2003
COURTHOUSE
DUBUQUE. IOWA 52001-7'053
DONNA L SMITH
JIM WALLER
ERIC ~,~ANTERNACH
Senator Charles Orassley
United Slates Senate
135 Han,~ Office BuildLa~
Washington DC 20510
Dear Senator Grassley: . ...l '
This Iet~er will request your assistmxce for an appropriation for a minimum of $30,000 rD 5and a
U.S..ax-my Corps ofEn~neers Speciar Sm{f}'ofTlood/ng preblems in d2e Couler ValIev from rite
Little Maquoketa River ":
Enclosed is a copy ora memorandum fror~ Mich~eI Zhkr~sk/recei,,-ed 9n June I7, explain/nfl_
that the FY 2004 Energy and Water Developmm~rP~ppropriations Bill needs to include the
$30,000 to fund the Study. Also enctosedds the leXer we received in November of 2002 from the
Corps srarm~ that the study
~:e Lirde 5/£aquokera Rt,'er continues to flood; causing drainage ro properN' azad life;, making ir
vital .~o ~*ld .d:e Spe~.~ Study pet this summer:
We have alw%vs appreciated your ~aeip with this as.d otherissues :n ~e *>asr and look forw~d rD
cominu/ng rD work wfrk you.
S [~c
t,, .. ./
Donna L. Si!2irh
Dnbuque Count.- Supe~ffsar
CEMvR-?M-M
O Fi','.r CE TELEPPaO?, g
;NC),
aA'IE-TL'~FFE :.[ Me,nTH
I7 June 2OO~ I
YEAR
-, Ub'-, 9=:-3, !{5
Dear Ms, Smith
As you discussed with Mr. Hamilton, the flood cantrel project:for the Lints Mequoi<ete R[ver/Ccuier Valley e.rea
is in csmpetficn with other proje~s for FY 2004 fundirtg-. This ad¢[tionat funding i.~ necessary to complete the
we,d< begun in FY' 03. [n accordance, with your request,. ~he following is information abou.~ t-his proiect that yea
may choose to share wif. h your Congressman and/or Sbnator:
Oeec Congressman (or Senator),
As Congress considers f,he FY 2004- Energy and Water Development Appropriations Siil, we urge you to
inc!ude ~,30,00~ to fund the Latle Msquoksta R~ver Speci~i Study. This study is provided for ~ Sectio~ 205 -
Flood Plain Management Sec~ices --of the'Water Resources Development Act of 1965, as amended, We are
concerned that the funding ~eve[ for pro~ects under SectMm 208 of the Continuing Authorities Program as
requested M the President's FY 2004 Budget [s not adequat~ to ensure rne completion of this prcjec: in FY
2004.
As you are aware, this reach of the Little Ma. quoketa River hen flooded severei times recent[y, end lb is
necessary to determine the cause or :hoe fioodin_c so that an appropriate riced protection program can be
deveiooed acd Cmplemenr~d to prcmc: cur communi:,/f?om future ficoding. (t is our sincere hope that you wi!~
nct~fy the House (or Sensrs~ Energy ~nd W~ter Oev~ioomen~ Agcropriations Suocommittee cf t~e nsec for
~h~s ~rsject smd heio ensure ths~ adscu2[e funcing is inciudeC in Section ZO~ of ~he Continuing Au;hcrities
Program. Than~/cs for your ccnsfderaticn and assistance n !his matter
Oc:obe7 £ l, 290_-
Donna ~.
ChM~erson
Dub:quo Co:hq,, Board o£S~iperv{sors
Couzi£ho us e
Dubuque, ~owa 5200 ~-7053
Dear ~_rs. Smith:
±ms !eXer ~s a ac~iow a: ~o rio s.m vzs~t rosa meedns on October 7, 2002, wkh ~ress~
~mikon and ~fark ' -
.... ~ ~rocl~ms m me Coder Vadev area.
~ >m~ by you~ ~=~e~ o~ ffMv ~ 200! hnciosed ~s ~ memor~dum sm~mamzinz ~is ~-~
Akkou~h om- study of Coule~ Valley ~oo~w~ i~ ~9S7 ~_d[camd tint no ake~a~ives ~vem
econom~caNyjustmea~ we concur {zax Soo{m~ m-oNems asDear to haws mcreasea and SLEaE adap
~on~ study is warranted_ m .... .. -.. .~ t
will n~ ~oux imand D:mct of the ~.~. ~nv Corns m hn~neers
~t._o..u ~ o~ becElon 2Up o~ ~le !P4S ~lood Control Act
orSec~on2Odofd:e TO 0 ~ ~ TM
_ - .~ n $..~_um£ oecomea a~.a:.lao[e, h:~ot~nafion abou~ our '
is mc/aden m .~.e rioo~ Da, :~ ~= ~ ~
D-nixed Sm~es Sena:or
206 Federal Building
i0i - ist S:ree: SE.
CedaRapids: Io~v~ f240I-I227 (~vfth enclosure)
~fr.
!932P lVfud Lake Road
Dub aque, lo,va f200 i ~97i Z (v~dfi~ enclosure)
Rffayor Ralph Dean
CiE/of Sa~evfile
Dubuqtm, Io~va $100i (wi~h