The purpose of this manual is to present basic principles used in the design and construction of earth levees. This manual applies to all Corps of Engineers Divisions and Districts having responsibility for the design and construction of levees. This manual is approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. This manual is intended as a guide for designing and constructing levees and not intended to replace the judgment of the design engineer on a particular project.

The purpose of this manual is to present basic principles used in the design and construction of earth levees. The term levee as used herein is defined as an embankment whose primary purpose is to furnish flood protection from seasonal high water and which is therefore subject to water loading for periods of only a few days or weeks a year. Embankments that are subject to water loading for prolonged periods (longer than normal flood protection requirements) or permanently should be designed in accordance with earth dam criteria rather than the levee criteria given herein. Even though levees are similar to small earth dams they differ from earth dams in the following important respects: (a) a levee embankment may become saturated for only a short period of time beyond the limit of capillary saturation, (b) levee alignment is dictated primarily by flood protection requirements, which often results in construction on poor foundations, and (c) borrow is generally obtained from shallow pits or from channels excavated adjacent to the levee, which produce fill material that is often heterogeneous and far from ideal. Selection of the levee section is often based on the properties of the poorest material that must be used.

The purpose of this manual is to present basic principles used in the design and construction of earth levees. This manual applies to all Corps of Engineers Divisions and Districts having responsibility for the design and construction of levees. This manual is approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. This manual is intended as a guide for designing and constructing levees and not intended to replace the judgment of the design engineer on a particular project.

The purpose of this manual is to present basic principles used in the design and construction of earth levees. This manual applies to all Corps of Engineers Divisions and Districts having responsibility for the design and construction of levees. This manual is approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. This manual is intended as a guide for designing and constructing levees and not intended to replace the judgment of the design engineer on a particular project.

Introductory technical guidance for civil engineers and other professional engineers and construction managers interested in design and construction of levees. Here is what is discussed: 1. FIELD INVESTIGATIONS, 2. LEVEE CONSTRUCTION METHODS, 3. SEEPAGE, SLOPE AND SETTLEMENT, 4. BERMS, FILTERS AND DRAINS, 5. SOIL CEMENT FOR PROTECTION OF LEVEES, 6. SPECIAL FEATURES.

Introductory technical guidance for civil engineers and other professional engineers and construction managers interested in design and construction of levees. Here is what is discussed: 1. FIELD INVESTIGATIONS, 2. LEVEE CONSTRUCTION METHODS, 3. SEEPAGE, SLOPE AND SETTLEMENT, 4. BERMS, FILTERS AND DRAINS, 5. SOIL CEMENT FOR PROTECTION OF LEVEES, 6. SPECIAL FEATURES.

Introductory technical guidance for civil and professional engineers and construction managers interested in design and construction of levees. Here is what is discussed: 1. FIELD INVESTIGATIONS 2. LEVEE CONSTRUCTION METHODS 3. SEEPAGE, SLOPE AND SETTLEMENT 4. BERMS, FILTERS AND DRAINS 5. SOIL CEMENT FOR PROTECTION OF LEVEE 6. SPECIAL FEATURES.