- Herbert Hoover Dike
The Herbert Hoover Dike is a dike around the waters of
Lake Okeechobee inFlorida .Over the years the quality of the flood control around the lake has grown. In the 1910s, a small earthen dike was constructed. This containment was breached by the
storm surge from the Great Miami Hurricane in 1926 and the1928 Okeechobee Hurricane , killing thousands. After these disasters the Florida State Legislature created the Okeechobee Flood Control District, which was authorized to cooperate with theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers in flood control undertakings.cite web|url=http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/sfoo/index.html|title=Lake Okeechobee and The Okeechobee Waterway|publisher=U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Florida Operations Office|accessdate=2008-08-03] After a personal inspection of the area by PresidentHerbert Hoover , the Corps drafted a new plan which provided for the construction of floodway channels, control gates, and major levees along Lake Okeechobee's shores. A long term system was designed for the purpose of flood control, water conservation, prevention of saltwater intrusion, and preservation of fish and wildlife populations. In the 1930s, a larger system of levees was built around the lake. Following heavy precipitation and flooding from two hurricanes in 1947, the dike was again expanded in the 1960s to create the current Herbert Hoover Dike. The cost of construction was about $165million (USD). The dike is now about 30 feet (9 meters) high on average. This should be sufficient to protect against future storm surges or flooding; however, there are some concerns that the dike is falling into disrepair. cite web|url=http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/cco/docs/hhd/LakeOandHHDike.pdf|title=Lake Okeechobee and the Herbert Hoover Dike|publisher=U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District|accessdate=2008-08-03]Notes
External links
* [http://www.cnn.com/video/partners/clickability/index.html?url=/video/us/2006/06/12/zarrella.fl.okeechobee.hurricane.worries.affl/ Video: Florida town hopes levee holds - CNN coverage]
* [http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=f5c4c86c-9444-4f8b-8366-5fd4340715e8&f=00&fg=email/ Herbert Hoover Dike coverage]
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