Amid all the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday its work on repairing the damage left by last year's flooding will not be interrupted.
"COVID-19 mission assignments are not currently affecting our ability to conduct levee rehabilitation operations, and district leaders do not expect that to change," according to a Monday news release from the Army Corps' Kansas City District.
The Army Corps of Engineers is being increasingly tapped around the country and in the state to establish sites for COVID-19 patients and health care providers, should hospitals reach their capacities and need room to overflow.
The Kansas City district said it's continuing to prioritize repairing levees damaged during 2019's historic flooding.
"Challenging weather conditions and higher flows along the Missouri River throughout the basin persisted throughout the winter and are continuing this spring, which initially delayed full assessments for many damaged systems. Teams are ready to begin work with 13 contracts awarded and nine contractors having Notice to Proceed to 'move dirt,'" the news release added.
Some of those awarded contracts are for local levees. Dogwood Construction received the awards March 25 for the Jacobs and Tebbetts levees, according to the district - which also noted the Wainwright levee as among those that have had contracts awarded.
"District representatives expect equipment to be moving out in April, weather permitting. Over 20 additional bid openings or contract awards are planned for the next 30 days," the news release added.
The Capital View, Hartsburg and Mokane levees are among those with the "with open bids and award processing" status.
Even with the priority focus, the district noted on its levee repair website - www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Emergency-Management/Levee-Rehabilitation/ - that "The Kansas City District Corps of Engineers expects a two year duration for levee rehabilitation and does not expect to have levees repaired prior to spring 2020."