New plan for Portneuf River levee

Good news for Pocatello from the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the Portneuf River levee system. The Army Corps has a new plan for the city called a rehabilitation assistance plan.

Under the new program, the city will only have to clear vegetation that could affect the levee walls, and if those walls are ever breached by flooding or some of the concrete crumbles, the Army Corps will repair it at no cost to the city.

Hannah Sanger, environmental director for the city of Pocatello, said there won’t be any impact on homeowners. While many have been concerned with tree removal, Sanger said the new plan has different requirements.

“Folks who live adjacent to the levees and the channel should call the street department to get specifics on whether their trees need to stay or go,” Sanger said.

If you have questions, you should contact the city’s street operations department at 208-234-6250