USACE and City of Cedar Rapids Break Ground on Next Phase of Flood Control System

Employees of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, along with Cedar Rapids city leaders and community members, gathered in May for the groundbreaking of Reach 4, Phase 1 of the Cedar Rapids Flood Control System. The event, hosted by the USACE Rock Island District and the City of Cedar Rapids, signaled the start of a critical new phase in the flood risk management project.
Andy Leichty, Project Manager for the Cedar Rapids Flood Risk Management Project, opened the ceremony, calling it “a significant milestone” and highlighted the steadfast partnership between the City and USACE. Distinguished guests in attendance included Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell, City Manager Jeff Pomeranz, USACE Rock Island District Commander Col. Aaron Williams, and representatives from the offices of Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, and Congresswoman Ashley Hinson.
Col. Williams emphasized the scope and impact of the project: “Today we are here to officially put shovels in the ground on the next major phase of this critical flood risk management effort. When the East Side system is fully complete, it will provide continuous protection from McLoud Run Creek, through downtown, all the way to the hills of Van Vechten Park.”
He also underscored the collaborative spirit behind this vital infrastructure project, adding, “The partnership we’ve built with the city over the years has been instrumental in moving this effort forward”
Echoing this sentiment, Mayor O’Donnell stated, “It is exciting to see the Flood Control system continue to take shape. As each new segment comes online, our city becomes even more protected for the future.”
The Reach 4, Phase 1 segment features a 1,900-foot-long, 23-foot-high floodwall fortified by more than 14,000 tons of riprap to protect the riverbank from erosion. Underground, nearly 125,000 feet of steel sheet piling will prevent seepage, and a state-of-the-art pump station will be capable of moving 16,500 gallons of water per minute. The project also includes over 2,700 feet of multi-use trail connecting to the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, a key link in the Great American Rail-Trail.
The ceremony concluded with remarks from local and federal representatives, followed by the official groundbreaking. For more information on the Cedar Rapids Flood Control System, visit www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Flood-Risk-Management/Cedar-Rapids/ or www.cityofcr.com/floodcontrol.