A groundbreaking ceremony marked the beginning of work on a $70 million project to improve the St. Joseph, Mo., levee system.
Lieutenant Colonel Brent Legreid, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District, participated in the November 3rd ceremony.
The levee system will protect $2.3 billion worth of fixed investments in residential, commercial, industrial, and military areas, including the Rosecrans Memorial Airport, home to the 139th Airlift Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard.
The project is possible with the non-federal sponsors providing a 35 percent share, with assistance from state and local governments, fully leveraging the 65 percent federal share.
The project spans 17 miles of the levee system and will be divided into four phases with a gate well is the first project on the list.