Local Leadership Drives Levee Solution

12/19/2025

Waterloo, Illinois- – Monroe County Chairman, George Green, took action to prevent a levee failure. 

Emergency repairs are underway on a critical agricultural levee system impacting two counties, following growing concern over a dangerous scour hole that threatened catastrophic failure. 

The issue centered on a legacy levee, originally constructed in the 1800s, which allowed water to continue flowing toward the modern levee. Over time, this created turbulence and high velocity which resulted in the formation of the scour hole. 

The worsening scour hole alarmed local families and farmers who depend on the levee to safeguard their homes and farmland. A failure would have impacted more than 45,000 acres of land, displaced approximately 500 families, farmers and impacted the following businesses: Ameren Electric, Union Pacific Railroad and Gateway FS. 

Despite repeated efforts to secure federal assistance, while very supportive, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA (due to the regulatory environment) could not take corrective action until a breach occurred. Monroe County Board Chairman George Green raised the issue directly with the Corps and escalated concerns to Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro), State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), and State Representative David Friess (R-Red Bud). While all worked to find a solution, none materialized, even as the Corps acknowledged, “it’s not a matter of if the levee would fail, it was a matter of when.” They further acknowledged the scour hole needed to be fixed. The Corps estimated a breached levee could cost an estimated $130 million to $140 million, in addition to the devastating loss of homes, farmland and the loss of business revenue.

“There was no way I was going to allow this levee to fail on my watch,” said Monroe County Board Chairman George Green. “We knew what was coming if we didn’t act.”   

Drawing on his extensive experience with levee systems, Chairman Green took decisive local action. He assembled a team that included Lynden Prange of the Stringtown Drainage and Levee District, Emergency Management Director Kevin Scheibe, and a volunteer civil engineer who provided professional analysis at no cost to taxpayers. The team conducted surveys, soil sampling, and engineering assessments to develop a solution. 

The approved plan involves removing the legacy levee and using its material to fill and stabilize the scour hole. Eliminating the legacy levee will allow for free flow of flood water through the area and address the root cause of the problem and prevent future deterioration.

Concerned about the cost, Scheibe worked diligently to pursue state and federal grant opportunities. State Representative David Friess (Red Bud) appealed directly to Governor Pritzker. Although funding was initially promised by the Governor, it was later withdrawn before it could be accessed.

Given the low river level and the unseasonably dry weather there would never be a better time to repair the scour hole. Green directed his team to proceed by renting equipment and working hand-in-hand with local contractors and volunteers. A repair that had previous estimates for up to $6 million is now being completed for less than $500,000. 

“This was about leadership and taking action before disaster struck,” Green said. “Our farmers and communities were at risk, and waiting wasn’t an option. By tackling this locally, we saved millions and showed what our community can accomplish together.”

The emergency scour hole repair project highlights the importance of proactive, locally driven solutions to protect agricultural land, homes, families and local businesses throughout the region. The project will be completed by Christmas. Merry Christmas!