Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, USACE Commanding General and 54th U.S. Army Chief of Engineers, yesterday signed the Rio Guayanilla Flood Risk Management Study Chief's Report. (THREAD)

The Rio Guayanilla drains approximately 96 square kilometers of land in southeast Puerto Rico and runs through the municipality of Guayanilla on its way into the Guayanilla Bay which opens to the Caribbean Sea. /2

There have been 10 major floods in the last 25 years, with the most recent occurring in September 2017 during Hurricane Maria. The overbank flooding impacts more than 1100 homes, businesses, industry and utilities with expected annual damages of $19.8M. /3

USACE plans to achieve 97% reduction in expected damages by constructing channel conveyance improvements, levees, floodwalls, a 9,000' engineered diversion channel, diversion structures, and road relocations at an estimated cost of $154.34M. /4

The signing of the report progresses the project to Congress for authorization. More information on this project from the Chicago District, @usacechicago, can be found here: https://go.usa.gov/xfGs2 . /5

NOTE: This update includes an archival photo from prior to Coronavirus and social distancing requirements

Correction: There have been 10 major floods in the last 45 years, not "25" as cited earlier in this thread.