Horner & Shifrin has provided engineering services to the Howard Bend Levee District since 1987 when the firm aided in the initial formation of the district. The area protected by the District lies adjacent to the Missouri River in St. Louis County. Following the flood of 1993, Horner & Shifrin developed plans for improving the levee from its status as an agricultural levee to that of a major urban levee. Throughout this process, various levee alignment alternatives have been evaluated with respect to both environmental and cost considerations. Permitting issues have been addressed.

The project is being coordinated with the Corps of Engineers, the Missouri Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, the St. Louis County Water Company, the City of Maryland Heights and the City of St. Louis. The firm engaged photogrammetrists to produce controlled topographic maps and three-dimensional computer files of the entire levee district, from which it has been possible to construct alignment plans and compute earthwork quantities.

The Phase I construction plans and specifications included 1.3 miles of levee and a closure gate structure, through which run the tracks of the St. Louis Southwestern Railroad, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Phase II includes approximately 6.5 miles of levee Horner & Shifrin provided construction phase services for Phase I of the project and will provide similar services during the construction of Phase II.

In addition, the firm computed hydraulics for interior drainage of the considerable hillside tributary drainage areas. Horner & Shifrin worked with a geotechnical firm for evaluation of geotechnical conditions and design of the levee section, relief well system and under-seepage berms .