But even after scaling the Eastwick levee back, cutting the barrier down to 8 feet, roughly half the size of the original, the agency told residents that it is still not feasible.

Carolyn Moseley, an Eastwick resident of 30 years, was disappointed with the news, but said the conclusion makes sense.

“It’s scientific law,” she said. “If you put water in an object, the water is going to find somewhere else to go. If they put a levee up there, that water is going to other parts.”

Mitigating induced flooding

Induced flooding has become a major and expensive legal hurdle for the Corps. In 2014, hundreds of landowners along the Missouri River sued the agency. They argued that changes to river management, which was altered to benefit endangered species, caused recurring flooding on their properties. After a decade of shifting trials, a federal appeals court ruled against the Corps in 2023, causing the agency to pay out more than $7 million to affected farmers.

Then in 2025, the Corps issued updated guidance stating, “recent court decisions on the takings implications of induced flooding have prompted questions concerning how and when project teams should evaluate the potential for project-induced flooding and the steps teams should take if models predict an increase in flooding.” The memo suggested steps teams should take if their engineering models predict an increase in flooding on neighboring land.

As for the Eastwick project, Rochette said in an email, that the Corps is “evaluating all options in partnership with the City before making our best technical recommendations on the path forward.”

Moving forward

While the Army Corps deemed the latest levee design as infeasible, the city remains hopeful.

“The City is continuing to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and stakeholders to evaluate next steps regarding a levee in Eastwick,” said Korin Tangtrakul, senior water inequity manager for Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability, in a statement. “No determinations have been made and it is still a very active conversation. In the meantime, the City is continuing to work on the design of an interim flood barrier in Eastwick.”

While the levee was just one part of the long-term flood mitigation strategy proposed by Tangtrakul’s office and the Corps earlier this year, other solutions remain on the table. The strategy includes the use of nature-based solutions, such as restoring wetlands, stormwater infrastructure designed to move water faster and buyouts.

The neighborhood also welcomed a new flood-monitoring system this spring with flood gauges that inform residents when rainfall and water levels become dangerous.

In the meantime, community members like Pickett are not deterred by this setback.

“At this point we’re not considering moving,” he said. “Hopefully there are some other ideas that will come about before we make that judgment.”