Fed wants to remove trees from all levees?

[Bassinlee]

Okay, I'm not a levee engineer, nor am I a botanist. But the 5 year old federal proposal to remove all trees from levees because they might lead to a levee break seems pretty boneheaded to me. Seems that since Katrina in 2005, the fed's been imposing it's national levee maintenance rules on all U.S. flood management agencies. They want to leave only grass on the levees, because they think tree roots weaken levees. Others say the tree roots bind the soils together and keep em from crumbling. Heck, I like trees on levees, b/c they serve as shade for bass. And I like casting under em, b/c bass like to hang out underneath em.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/05/03/272202 ... z0mqkIJxpc

What the heck? Why spend 7 BILLION to cut down trees, remove the roots, then rebuild the levees? Am I missing something here?

-Bassinlee

[Steve]

This is old news and its been heavily debated among regulatory agencies. To be fair there are two entities undertaking levee repairs: Army Corps of Engineers and DWR. When DWR does a levee repair they also restore native vegetation. And believe me, they do an absolutely amazing job, and its a very complex process. The ACOE are the ones who want to remove all trees and vegetation under the argument that the roots would compromise the integrity of the levee. Last I knew thats exactly what they were doing and getting away with it, which to this day I dont quite understand how they can do that.

[tunaman]

While I'm with you from a bass-fishing perspective, have you seen what tree roots can do with a sidewalk??? They certainly could pose a threat on a levee holding back the floodwaters, so it does make sense from a levee management perspective.

Roger

[Bill K]

Roots are a two side sword, so to speak. THey can disrupt material/soil, but they can also help hold it together. The holding together is much more of value, then taking them out.
But here are PHD's again making decisions, without a lot of merit.
One minute they tell us trees, etc are being destroyed and runing the eco system, then they turn around and want to take them out.
Bet most of them belong to Green Peace, Save the Amazon or such. Bill K

[Mike]

They have already been doing this for years.

[Bassinlee]

Thanks for the tips/info/opinions guys. Just seemed pretty whack to me.

-Bassinlee