National Levee Safety Program

Pennsylvania’s aging levees are under pressure from scarce funding and severe weather

<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/757589/original/file-20260902-60-bjqmrw.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&rect=0%2C0%2C5000%2C3333&q=45&auto=format&w=1050&h=700&fit=crop" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Schuylkill River in Philadelphia flooded after heavy rains from Hurricane Ida in 2021. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/water-from-the-schuylkill-river-covers-the-schuylkill-river-news-photo/1235030768">Branden Eastwood/AFP via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Pennsylvania has over <a href="https://levees.sec.usace.army.mil">180 levees</a> that span approximately 155 miles (255 kilometers) and keep its rivers from flooding. They <a href="https://levees.sec.usace.army.mil">protect about 158,000 people and US$26.2 billion in property</a> across the state, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. </p> <p>However, those levees are aging, and funding to