1996 Snapshot:
Nestled between the Mississippi River to the west and the limestone bluffs to the east, the Village of Valmeyer, Illinois and its residents relied on an upriver levee for protection. Even so, the Village had still weathered periodic bouts of flooding since its incorporation in 1909, with notable floods occurring in 1910, 1943, 1944, and 1947. But the Great Flood in the summer of 1993 was so overwhelming, it completely ravaged and reshaped the region and left the Village confronting the loss of the very ground it once called home.
Before the Mississippi River overtopped and breached the levee, Valmeyer was home to a population of 900. There were roughly 325 one- and two-story homes of varying ages and styles, along with 25 businesses, three churches, and a school. When the floodwaters finally receded, little remained. Rebuilding in place was no longer a viable option. Instead, the citizens made a tough and decisive choice, boldly voting to move the entire community upstream to higher ground, 1½ miles to the east and safely atop the 400’ bluffs.
Now, on the 33rd anniversary of that historic flood, the story of Valmeyer stands as one of the most remarkable examples of community resilience and recovery in modern engineering history.
  
Pioneering A New Beginning
The decision to lay out an entirely new site was enormous. It required commitment, coordination, and cooperation among numerous federal and state agencies and local organizations, along with careful planning at every step. TWM was at the heart of that effort, serving as a key partner to the community and designing the framework for an entirely new town. What began as a technical challenge quickly became something much larger: the blueprint for a community’s future.
Every element had to be reimagined. Streets were laid out with new horizontal and vertical alignments. Residential and commercial lots were organized to create a functional, livable community. The land itself was reshaped through comprehensive grading to support safe, buildable development on previously untouched terrain.
Below the surface, an entirely new infrastructure network was also designed—storm sewer systems, detention and erosion control facilities, sanitary sewer collection, and a complete water distribution system supported by a new water tower. Above all, thoughtful planning ensured the new Village would not only function but thrive.
From boundary and topographic surveying to full construction-phase services, TWM helped guide every stage of design and development, turning raw land into a fully realized community.
The new Village of Valmeyer is more than a relocation project—it’s a testament to resilience, reinvention, and what becomes possible when engineering and community vision come together to rebuild from the ground up.
Now, 33 years later, Valmeyer stands as a remarkable example of how a community can overcome a devastating disaster and come back even stronger.
