Harold Smelt, Pierce County Washington.
The Soldier’s Home Setback Levee project restored about 67 acres of Puyallup River floodplain to historic pre-levee conditions. The original levee was removed to the water line and a new levee was built 950 feet back from the river allowing the river to naturally meander within the reclaimed floodplain providing increased flood protection to adjacent property and natural benefits to the greater community.
To ensure flood protection, the setback levee project included the fortification of levees downstream, across, and upstream of the setback levee and involved placing additional rock rip rap to the existing levee face and toe, and raising the levee in places.
The set back levee was built with re-used material that was blended with new material.
Habitat channels were dug to expedite reclamation.
