Amethodology to assess levee structural integrity using high resolution airborne Light Detection and Ranging
(LiDAR) data is investigated for a 16 km reach of the Sacramento River within the Sacramento–San Joaquin
River Delta (California). Levee geometric parameters (levee crown width, height and water and landside
slopes) were extracted from 0.5 mresolution LiDAR derived digital ground models. Deviation of these parameters
from minimum levee design standards was used to calculate a levee stability index. Stability maps were
generated and those areas that did not meet USACE geometric shape standards were identified. Results show
that 2 out of the 4 geometric parameters do not meet the minimum value required in 48% and 43% of profiles
on the east (urban adjacent) and west (farmland adjacent) margins respectively. Most importantly, the
crown width in 99% of the levee profiles located on the urban side was below the minimum required. The
paper also points out the importance of evaluating all four geometric parameters, not just the elevation of
the levee, by assessing its level of performance through a geometric assessment.