Travel has been hampered for most of this week by flooding, but the situation is improving in Lyon County north of Emporia.
Burlingame Road reopened to traffic around 6 pm, thus reopening three of the major highways for north Lyon County. The road had been closed for over a day.
Americus Road opened in stages shortly before 8 am, while Kansas Highway 99 north of Emporia fully reopened shortly before noon.
There is still a lengthy list of closed roads in Lyon County. Find the list below.
5:30 pm Thursday: One local river drops below flood stage; levels continue rise elsewhere; road closure list still extensive
Moderate flooding continues across most of the KVOE listening area.
Travel has improved in Lyon County, with Kansas Highway 99 north of Emporia reopening before noon and Americus Road reopening before 8 am. Highway 99 is closed south of Emporia, as is Burlingame Road.
Other Lyon County road closures:
*Road 140 from H to K-5
*Road 145 from E to G
*Road 150 from C to E; from M to N; west of X
*Road 155 from K to K-5
*Road 160 from N to R
*Road 177 West Of Road P5
*Road 190 east of M
*Road 190 West of Road P5
*Road 215 east of J; west of J
*Road 225 from Americus Road to H-5
*Road 225 at F-5
*Road E between 140 and 160
*Road C from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road D North of Hwy 56
*Road D South of Road 360
*Road E from 140 to 160
*Road F at 160
*Road G from 140 to 145
*Road J North of Road 240
*Road J South of Road 260
*Road N north of 175
*Road N-5 north of 175
*Road P from 140 to 150
*Road P-2 north of 175
*Road R from 140 to 160
*Road W south of 155
With all the flood points, there have been a lot of barricades and resulting detours this week. On KVOE’s Newsmaker 2 segment today (TH), Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell said the Highway Department is busy posting barricades — and, in some cases, making them.
Unfortunately, people still drive past barricades, and disaster almost developed after an Emporia teenager passed a barricade early today (TH). Apryl Salender, 19, went around a barricade on Road J and later told authorities she couldn’t stop in time before her car went into the water and was ultimately carried to a field southeast of 140 and J. Salender was cited for driving around a barricade.
Good news is coming out of Chase County after the town of Elmdale had a voluntary evacuation develop Wednesday as water overtopped a nearby dyke in two spots. Chase County Sheriff Rich Dorneker says the dike held overnight and while the floodwaters are high north of Elmdale, water is not going over the dyke. Water went over the dyke at Camp Wood Road and near the town’s water plant, prompting the evacuation. Dorneker says Elmdale’s main road is now open and Mayor Josh Simmons is now letting residents back into the community.
Dorneker says an effort to sandbag around Strong City public buildings is now over as the Cottonwood River slowly recedes, and US Highway 50 reopened between Elmdale and Florence today (TH). However, Cedar Point and Clements are still inaccessible. Kansas Highway 177 remains closed between Cottonwood Falls and the Strong City railroad tracks.
Other problems have developed.
In Emporia, Fanestil Meats has halted all production at its plant just south of Emporia due to flooding. Production may resume once the river clears Highway 99.
Greenwood County Rural Water District No. 2 is now in a boil water advisory until further notice. This affects all district customers between 260th Street and 142nd Street about 10 miles west of Hamilton. Affected residents need to boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation, dispose all ice cubes, do not use ice from an automatic icemaker and disinfect dishes by using one teaspoon of unscented bleach per gallon of water.
Fell says the damage assessment phase typically takes a while to complete, and it can’t begin yet with the flooding ongoing. Lyon County would need close to $110,000 in damage to public infrastructure — and the state would need to have around $4 million in total damage — for expenses to be reimbursed by the federal government.
Governor Laura Kelly has issued a state of disaster emergency declaration for 15 counties, including Chase, Greenwood and Osage counties in the KVOE listening area. Chase County has verbally approved a disaster declaration, with formal approval possibly Monday. Lyon County did not discuss a disaster declaration during its action meeting today (TH).
Most area river gauges are still in flood status.
The Cottonwood River at Emporia is at 26.11 feet, above flood stage of 20. Moderate flooding is underway. The river may go back into its banks Monday, so a flood warning now continues until Monday night.
The Cottonwood at Plymouth is at 34.19 feet, above flood stage of 32. Moderate flooding is ongoing. The river could climb to 35.2 feet around Friday morning. It could also go below flood stage Saturday afternoon. The warning now gues until Saturday night
The Cottonwood at Cottonwood Falls is at 13.6 feet, above the 9-foot flood stage. It could go below flood stage Saturday. The warning now continues until Saturday evening
For the Neosho at Emporia, the river is at 23.17 feet, above flood of 19 feet and the projected crest of 23.8 feet. The river could go below flood stage Thursday night. The warning goes until Friday afternoon.
At Americus, moderate flooding has ceased as the river is at 24.97 feet, below flood stage of 26 after cresting at 27.22 feet Wednesday. A warning is in effect until Thursday night.
At Neosho Rapids, moderate flooding is ongoing. The river is at 26.95 feet, above flood stage of 22. Current projections have the river cresting at 28.3 feet early Friday — the fifth-highest on record if the river gets that high — and going below flood stage Monday morning. The flood warning now continues until Monday evening.
3 pm Thursday: MID-AFTERNOON UPDATE: Disaster declaration up for some area counties; Fanestil plant closed; boil water advisory issued for Greenwood County RWD 2
Governor Laura Kelly has issued a state of disaster emergency declaration as flooding continues across parts of Kansas.
The declaration signed Thursday impacts 15 counties, including Chase, Greenwood and Osage counties in the KVOE listening area. Additional counties may be added later.
The declaration authorizes the use of state resources and personnel to help with response and recovery efforts.
Chase County has verbally approved a disaster declaration, with formal approval possibly Monday. Lyon County did not discuss a disaster declaration during its action meeting Thursday.
The declarations come as flooding issues from Emporia to the north and west seem to be easing, albeit gradually.
Road travel has improved in Lyon County, with Kansas Highway 99 north of Emporia reopening before noon and Americus Road reopening before 8 am. Highway 99 is closed south of Emporia, as is Burlingame Road.
Other Lyon County road closures:
*Road 140 from H to K-5
*Road 145 from E to G
*Road 150 from C to E; from M to N; west of X
*Road 155 from K to K-5
*Road 160 from N to R
*Road 177 West Of Road P5
*Road 190 east of M
*Road 190 West of Road P5
*Road 215 east of J; west of J
*Road 225 from Americus Road to H-5
*Road 225 at F-5
*Road E between 140 and 160
*Road C from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road D North of Hwy 56
*Road D South of Road 360
*Road E from 140 to 160
*Road F at 160
*Road G from 140 to 145
*Road J North of Road 240
*Road J South of Road 260
*Road N north of 175
*Road N-5 north of 175
*Road P from 140 to 150
*Road P-2 north of 175
*Road R from 140 to 160
*Road W south of 155
Chase County
*Kansas Highway 177 between Cottonwood Falls and Strong City railroad tracks
*Old Highway 50 at U
*Diamond Creek
Coffey County
*16th at Angus; at Kafir
Flood-related infrastructure issues
Some flood-related issues have developed Thursday.
In Emporia, Fanestil Meats has halted all production at its plant just south of Emporia due to flooding. Production may resume once the river clears Highway 99.
Greenwood County Rural Water District No. 2 is now in a boil water advisory until further notice. This affects all district customers between 260th Street and 142nd Street about 10 miles west of Hamilton. Affected residents need to boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation, dispose all ice cubes, do not use ice from an automatic icemaker and disinfect dishes by using one teaspoon of unscented bleach per gallon of water.
In Strong City, flood relief efforts were hampered for a time Thursday morning when one of the town’s water pumps went offline. A repair status is pending.
Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell says the damage assessment phase typically takes a while to complete, and it can’t begin yet with the flooding ongoing. Lyon County would need close to $110,000 in damage to public infrastructure — and the state would need to have around $4 million in total damage — for expenses to be reimbursed by the federal government.
Rivers
Most area river gauges are still in flood status.
The Cottonwood River at Emporia is at 26.01 feet, above flood stage of 20 and down from a tentative crest of 25.99 Wednesday. Moderate flooding is underway. The river should climb to 26.4 feet Friday evening. The river may go back into its banks Monday, so a flood warning now continues until Monday night.
The Cottonwood at Plymouth is at 34.36 feet, above flood stage of 32. Moderate flooding has started. The river could climb to 35.2 feet around Friday morning. It could also go below flood stage Saturday afternoon. The warning now gues until Saturday night
The Cottonwood at Cottonwood Falls is at 13.6 feet, above the 9-foot flood stage. It should now climb to 14.3 feet, which would be third all-time if projections are correct, by Thursday morning and go below flood stage Saturday. The warning now continues until Saturday evening
For the Neosho at Emporia, the river is at 23.17 feet, above flood of 19 feet and the projected crest of 23.8 feet. The river could go below flood stage Thursday night. The warning goes until Friday afternoon.
At Americus, moderate flooding is underway as the river is at 25.29 feet, above flood stage of 26 after cresting at 27.22 feet Wednesday. The river could go below flood stage early Thursday afternoon. A warning is in effect until Thursday night.
At Neosho Rapids, moderate flooding is ongoing. The river is at 26.95 feet, above flood stage of 22. Current projections have the river cresting at 28.3 feet early Friday — the fifth-highest on record if the river gets that high — and going below flood stage Monday morning. The flood warning now continues until Monday evening.
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates on the current flooding situation.
Photos by Richard Dorneker
{gallery}Floods Rich Dorneker 050919{/gallery}
Photos by Phil Taunton
{gallery}Floods Phil Taunton 050919{/gallery}
Photos by Josh Simmons
{gallery}Floods Josh Simmons 050919{/gallery}
Photos by Chuck Samples/KVOE News
{gallery}Floods Chuck Samples 050919{/gallery}
