# ST. JOSEPH RIVER FLOOD CONTROL

- **Sector:** Flood Control Systems
- **Client:** U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- **Location:** Fort Wayne, IN
- **State:** Indiana
- **Status:** complete

## By the Numbers

- 5,500 FT of Flood Wall, 5’ to 15’ Tall
- 175,000 CY of Cohesive Embankment
- 155,000 TN Rip-Rap Armor Stone Numerous Underground Infrastructure Upgrades

## Challenge

Upgrade Fort Wayne’s aging flood-control system in a densely developed corridor where limited space, existing utilities, active roadways, and multiple river crossings required complex coordination and phased construction to maintain flood protection throughout the work.

## Solution

E.S. Wagner executed a phased flood-control improvement program that combined levee raises, riprap armoring, and reinforced concrete floodwalls to enhance protection along critical river corridors. Through careful coordination of drainage, utility, and roadway improvements, and close collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Fort Wayne, ESW maintained project continuity, minimized community impacts, and successfully delivered all improvements while maintaining a perfect safety record.

## Project Scope

E.S. Wagner Company served as the prime contractor on three U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contracts to improve flood protection throughout Fort Wayne, Indiana, where recurring flooding occurred at the convergence of three major rivers. The project included raising existing flood-control dikes with approximately 175,000 cubic yards of clay and protecting them with 155,000 tons of riprap armor stone. In space-constrained areas, 5,500 linear feet of reinforced concrete floodwalls ranging from 5 to 15 feet in height were constructed. The work also included replacement of drainage outfalls, installation of gate wells and flap gates, utility replacements beneath the flood-control system, and reconstruction of adjacent roadways. These improvements significantly enhanced the region’s flood-control infrastructure and long-term resiliency. Over the four-year program, E.S. Wagner logged more than 150,000 man- hours without a lost-time accident, earning the Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District Contractor Safety Award for three consecutive years and the Army Corps of Engineers National Safety Award in the fourth year.