River Shield Research Worksheet
Civil Infrastructure Field Investigation • USACE Louisville District
River Shield Research Worksheet
Ohio River Flood Defense, Navigation Systems, & Community Resilience in Evansville, IN
Student:
Date:
Period:
Part 1
Web Inquiry & Evidence Tracker
Record verified search sources (e.g., USACE Louisville, City of Evansville, USGS)
Search for USACE civil works in Evansville, IN (the 1937 Ohio River flood, Evansville Local Flood Protection Project, Pigeon Creek, and Newburgh Locks & Dam). Record your two most credible sources:
Source Title / Publishing Agency:
URL or Domain (e.g., .gov / .mil):
Key Engineering Fact or Data Point Discovered:
Source Title / Publishing Agency:
URL or Domain (e.g., .gov / .mil):
Key Engineering Fact or Data Point Discovered:
Part 2
Project Deep-Dive: Evansville Civil Works
Analyze specific structural features & operational systems
System A: Evansville Levees & Floodwalls
Authorized under Flood Control Act of 1937/1938 after devastating inundation.
Primary Structural Components (levees, concrete walls, pump stations):
Role of City Pump Stations when River Flap Gates Close:
System B: Newburgh / Ohio River Locks & Dams
Managed by USACE to stabilize water pools and facilitate heavy barge commerce.
How Locks Maintain the 9-Foot Navigational Channel Depth:
Major Commercial Freight Shipped through Evansville Reach:
Historical Catalyst Inquiry
What specific 1937 river crest level (~54 ft) prompted federal action in Evansville? Why was regional federal engineering required rather than just local municipal defenses?
Investigation Guide • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Evansville Works Page 1 of 2
Part 3 & 4 • Engineering Impact Analysis
Community Protection & Infrastructure Evaluation
Evansville, Vanderburgh County, IN
Part 3
Community Impact Assessment Matrix
Analyze how USACE infrastructure supports three core pillars
1. River Navigation & Trade
How do locks and dredged river channels directly support local industry, regional jobs, and freight shipping?
2. Life Safety & Urban Defense
How do floodwalls and Pigeon Creek barriers safeguard downtown neighborhoods, hospitals, and water utilities?
3. Ecosystems & Riverfront
What environmental trade-offs or mitigation occur along riverbank wetlands and trails like the Evansville Greenway?
Part 4
Key Technical Vocabulary
Define each engineering concept and state its Evansville application
1. Earthen Levee vs. Concrete Floodwall:
Difference in design & space requirements along the riverfront:
2. Navigational Pool:
How dams prevent the Ohio River from becoming too shallow during droughts:
3. Stormwater Pump Station:
How inland rainwater is lifted over the wall when river backflow gates close:
4. 100-Year Flood (1% Annual Exceedance):
Why this statistical benchmark determines structural crest height and freeboard:
Part 5
Emergency Scenario: High-Water Crest Response
Apply your findings to an authentic Evansville crisis simulation
Engineering Challenge: The National Weather Service forecasts the Ohio River at Evansville to rise to 48 feet (6 feet above major flood stage). Explain the step-by-step defense plan: Which street flood gates must close, how do pump stations prevent interior street flooding, and why must engineers inspect levees for seepage and sand boils?
Investigation Guide • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Evansville Works Page 2 of 2
