Levees

Read the text below and then answer the questions that follow. Levees are long mounds of dirt or concrete that help prevent rivers from overflowing. They are build along rivers' edges. You can think of them as slanting walls that confine the flow of rivers. Under most circumstances, levees let the water in rivers rise without overflowing.Levees made of dirt must be protected from the erosion caused by the water. They are often covered with grass and trees. Levees must be maintained so that no holes or leaks develop.You may have heard of levees. In the summer of 2005, they were in the news after Hurricane Katrina. It was the levees that failed around New Orleans that caused the city to be flooded. Many lives were lost and billions of dollars in damage occurred.Large levee systems are found along the Mississippi and the Sacramento Rivers in the United States. The Netherlands, a country in Europe, uses a system of levees called dikes to hold back the seawater from their land. They pump the water from inside the dikes back into the sea. Without the dikes, most of the country would be under water.There are levees in Georgia. They are found along rivers and tidal creeks. In July 1994, a levee near Macon broke. Tropical storm Alberto had stalled over the state. Twelve to 28 inches of rainfall fell in a very short period of time. The Ocmulgee River rose rapidly. The river broke through the levee. Adding to the calamity, many dams in the area either broke or overflowed.In Augusta, a levee rises 15-20 feet above the Savannah River. It helps protect the city from flooding. The city has established a walking path along the top of the levee. Walkers have a wonderful view of the river and the countryside from this height.Levees are essential for protecting property and lives from the destructive forces of floods. Millions of people depend upon them for protection. What do levees help prevent? rivers from overflowing oceans from eroding lakes from draining Where are levees usually built? only in large cities in the middle of oceans along rivers' edges What are levees usually made of? sand or grass dirt or concrete wood or concrete Name two rivers in the United States where you may find levees. Mississippi River and Sacramento River Chattahoochee and Tennessee River Missouri and Sacramento River What is the purpose of levees? They allow rivers to overflow They let water in rivers rise without overflowing They keep water out of rivers Why must levees be regularly maintained? To make sure there are enough holes in the wall To make sure that they can replace the levees to make sure no holes or leaks develop. Where would you find levees in Georgia? Suwanee and Buford Macon and Augusta Valdosta and Blue Ridge Levees are _ for protecting property and lives from floods. essential nonessential invaluable In 2005, Hurricane Alberto hit New Orleans and flooded the city. True False In the Netherlands, they use a levee system called the dikes to hold back seawater from land. True False