BISMARCK, N.D. – “Levee removal activities for Bismarck are progressing smoothly,” said Jeff Heintz, Director, Service Operations. The Trap Bag levee removal project on the east side of Riverwood Drive (levee segment C) was completed this week. This area extended from the Pier south to the Horse Arena. A change order has been approved that will remove the top four feet of HESCO barrier on the west side of Riverwood Drive (levee segment B) from the Pier restaurant north to the north entrance into Southport loop. The intersection at the Pier will be cleared of sandbags and HESCO north to the second driveway entrance into the property for visibility.

The remaining HESCO wall north to Expressway will have the top four feet of barrier removed, but the bottom four feet will remain until next spring. This is to help mitigate any ice jam potential next spring and prevent the water from flowing across Riverwood Drive like it did in 2009.

The plug on Riverwood Drive at the Pier has been removed; the clay levee in the parking lot at Sertoma Park, next to shelter 10 and the Horseshoe courts and volleyball area will be removed by October 30. The remaining levee south of the parking lot, behind the Zoo to Expressway will remain.

Change orders approved by the city commission October 11, are as follows:
1. Insert a culvert with a flap gate under levee segment D between Washington Street and Riverwood Drive to allow for fall and spring runoff to drain under the levee from Riverwood Golf course, and from the storm water system that drains the area west of Washington Street.
2. Remove the clay levee material left behind at the South Bay development landscape area where the Waste Water Treatment Plant levee crossed to the south side of Burleigh Ave. This will be reseeded with grass.
3. Remove the clay levee next to Solheim School, from Washington Street west to the point where the grade drops behind the homes on Munich Drive. This material will be used to fill the borrow site (a site used to borrow clay) at Solheim School.
4. Remove the HESCO barriers on the north side of Tatley Meadows mobile home park adjacent to the drainage channel.

“Sandbag removal operations are moving along very well. We have moved up the collection dates and are operating in the final zones for collection,” said Heintz. “Sandbag collection will continue through October 22, with our efforts focused during the last week of collection on any remaining sandbags that are being disposed of for street collection,” continued Heintz. For more information visit www.bismarck.org. To view a map of the levees visit http://bismarck.org/DocumentView.aspx?DID=4138