Strengthening Des Moines Riverbanks
Des Moines Water Works engaged Stanley Consultants to complete an engineering analysis of the Des Moines River riverbank condition and potential stabilization after extreme flooding in 2008.
The Saylorville plant is located on the east side of the Des Moines River and north of Interstate 80 in Polk County. Due to the extreme damage this flood event caused statewide, a disaster declaration was made and FEMA disaster recover funding was made available.
Funding from FEMA allowed Des Moines Water Works to engage Stanley Consultants to complete an engineering analysis of the riverbank condition and potential stabilization. In this analysis, both the loss of bank material historically and the loss of bank material due to the 2008 flood event was analyzed to determine the current risk to the existing well caissons. The report summarizes the selected mitigation alternatives for each location. The second phase of the project included bank stabilization design including bank shaping and riprap protection along 1,900 feet of Des Moines River bank and development of bid documents. Permitting the project required completing a wetland delineation, Indiana bat habitat survey, and extensive coordination with the state and federal regulatory authorities.