Disaster at Birds Point

In May 2011, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blew a two-mile hole in the Birds Point levee, destroying over 200 square miles of prime farmland and communities. The wall of water wreaked havoc, demolishing everything in its path: homes, land and businesses.

The Corps’ current plan is to rebuild the levee to only 51 feet – 11 feet lower than its original height. The river has crested higher than that 12 times in the last 21 years. The businesses and residents claim they can’t rebuild their lives until the levee is restored completely.