SAAD Consultants was a subconsultant to a Technical Evaluation Contractor (TEC), Michael Baker, Jr., Inc. to review flood control projects and flood studies in 1/2 of the country for all communities located west of the Mississippi River. Our senior staff has worked with this TEC and other TECs throughout the years, reviewing flood control projects and flood studies in the states shown on the map to the left. Senior staff developed procedures for the engineering review and evaluation.
The Los Angeles River Flood Study was a major flood control project. It represented the technical complexity, guidelines, and regulations, particularly levee failure and appeal process.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District prepared a comprehensive flood control
study in the Los Angeles River basin. The draft Flood Study of Los Angeles County and Incorporated
Areas, California was analyzed and evaluated by SAAD Consultants senior staff to map the flood risk
along the Los Angeles River and Rio Honda for Los Angeles County and fifteen communities. The inundation reflected the existing conditions of "no flood control project" in
the Los Angeles River basin. The levees along these two flooding sources do not provide 100-year
flood protection, according to FEMA's guidelines and specifications. Levee failure scenarios
were evaluated to arrive at an approach that would be most reasonable for floodplain management
purposes within these communities.
SAAD evaluated and resolved appeals submitted by eleven of
the affected communities, requiring close coordination with Los Angeles District and FEMA.
This flood control study resulted in a significant increase in Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)
along the Los Angeles River and Rio Hondo for these sixteen communities. The increase in the
SFHA was primarily attributable to decertification of levee systems along these watercourses
from protecting against the 100-year flood. As a result, approximately eighty square miles of
new SFHA were added, affecting approximately 400,000 local residents and 125,000 structures.
The proposed control project, given the spillway releases of the upstream dams were
maintained, would contain the 100-year flood (@130,000 cfs) within the river channel by
constructing parapets on top of both levees (2-4 ft) and raising several bridges along the Los Angeles River.
