The Midwest’s Destroyed Infrastructure Will Fail Again Unless It Gets A Major Overhaul (HBO)

Along the Midwest’s big rivers, hundreds of miles of levees protect people and property. But when water surged into the Missouri River last month, the levees crumbled — exposing an ageing, insufficient flood protection system. And with heavy rain expected until the end of May, more flooding is due.

The Army Corps of Engineers has been scrambling to patch the broken levees before the rivers rise again — but gaping holes are still unfilled. Right now, the Army Corps isn’t sure if it will attempt to repair the broken levees, or look to develop new flood control systems entirely.

Last months floods were the most intense the Army Corps has ever seen in the midwest. "It's immense," Bret Budd, Army Corps Chief of Omaha District Systems Restoration Team, told VICE News. "The word that keeps going in my mind, the adjective I use, is that it's biblical. It's a biblical flood for us. It is going to tax the resources of everybody around. We have over 500 miles of levee to provide to reduce the risk of flooding. Of those 500 miles we had over 50 breaches."

In 1936 Congress assigned the task of flood flood protection on to the Army Corps of Engineers. It built levees, dikes and dams along thousands of miles of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The levees stopped flooding, but made the rivers straighter, deeper, and more powerful -- which contributed to a 20% increase in the risk of a 100-year flood.

So building higher barriers as climate change intensifies rainfall, could make future flooding worse.

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[Calyx]

Drove my 'Chevy to the levee but the levee was completely destroyed.

[saltywolfgaming]

I live in Iowa, it's a swing state so i don't see it as one parties fault over the other. It's a corruption issue. For example, I refuse to buy a fishing license because they keep raising the cost and simultaneously cutting the parks budget. Money does not go to were they say it does. Our taxes go into someone's pocket.

[temporarymomentary]

When do people realize that the government doesn't give a damn about poor people? They don't care about you.

[Yugetubes]

Don't fight mother nature. Let it go. Just move out of the flood prone zone.

[mn_]

The richest economy in the world can’t afford to build proper infrastructure but can afford a trillion dollar a year military budget

[Channel]

How is this not a national emergency? Why is it getting so few coverage?

[chssechen]

America could fund and solved a lot of its issues for example infrastructure if it didn't waste money on war, tax cut, subsidies for companies and etc.

[timahlf]

Getting money for anything in this country outside of the military and giving more money to the rich i think is a thing of the past.

[merlinthebikewizard]

You cannot stop a river from flooding. If you build it levee, it will just send water down river. And just remember the song isn't called "If the Levee Breaks."

[Crismodin]

My house was underwater? No problem honey, let's rebuild in the same exact place again.

[htxmmjh]

well global warming is still not real cuz the water is cold

edit：this is a joke chill，and the guy did say when he was young，there werent much rain，so its not just infrastructure

[gamergrey]

U.S. Citizens: Our infrastructure is falling apart, our water sources are being polluted, and our average income isn't enough to sustain the average family, please help!


Politicians: Right. We hear you loud and clear! Increase the military budget, we need more weapons. Oh and give Corporations a tax break.


U.S. Citizens: *Surprise Pikachu Face*

[rosshoyt]

It’s almost like.... the climate is changing?? Who would have ever expected this 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[aperson]

This channel is awesome. The reporters are young but come across as mature in their mind-set and sincere in their questioning. 👍👏🙂

[octth]

This really puts my towns problems in to perspective. These people are in my thoughts and prayers and have my support. Unfortunately I'm not wealthy so my vote doesn't count for much these days.

[dlconstruction]

Time for change people 🙅🏽‍♂️ The storms will come harder faster and stronger every year this will not stop. All the people that say global warming does not exist will feel really lame in the next few years. The droughts the heat it will come on hotter every year stick around longer dry up everything. Then the rains will come on stronger faster and for short periods of times microburst. With the dry weather right before the rain water will have no place to go but slide along the top of the dry baron ground that does not allow moisture to soak into it. Which will cause flash floods witch will destroy infrastructure. We see this happening all over the planet open your eyes wake up stop living in denial. Good luck people 💪🏼🔨

[DiegoAlvarez-lfus]

"If it keeps on rainin' levee's goin' to break 
If it keeps on rainin' levee's goin' to break 
When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay."

[patmcbride]

Levees are almost always built too close to the water.
Rivers need room to safely flood.

[frankblangeard]

When you build a levee to keep water out you are sending the water downstream for someone else to deal with. Sometimes that bites you in the ass. As it should.

[timothygordon]

There's a levee 2 blocks from my house and compared to the one in the video the broken levee looks 20 years overdue for renewal