Preferred levee building practices:
 

1920 suggested sections(Merritt)

Note tile drain and controlled borrow digging (depth limited to 6 ft)

Dont follow meanders(Pickels), prefer to flank floodplain and keep off pervious soils (1946 Transactions)

carefully inspect foundation

clear unsuitable material

dig an inspection trench to cut off sand layers, fill with clay (muck ditch)

add a toe drain

dont use old non-levee embankments

to improve older levees, add a toe drain/berm (State design)