Some more good news has come in pertaining to travel in Lyon County.
The Kansas Department of Transportation has confirmed North Kansas Highway 99 has full reopened to traffic following flooding. This follows the reopening of Americus Road and Road 240 between D and E earlier Thursday morning.
Despite this, the list of road closures still remains long in Lyon County.
*Kansas Highway 99 south of Soden’s Grove to 130. The Kansas Turnpike floodgate at mile marker 122.5 is open for drivers south of Emporia.
*Burlingame Road near 190
*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
Good news is also coming out of Chase County after the town of Elmdale had a voluntary evacuation develop Wednesday as water overtopped a nearby dike 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 dike. Water went over the dike 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. However, Cedar Point and Clements are still inaccessible. Kansas Highway 177 remains closed between Cottonwood Falls and the Strong City railroad tracks, and US Highway 50 remains closed between Elmdale and Florence.
Rivers
Area rivers remain in flood, although levels are coming down at several area gauges.
The Cottonwood River at Emporia is at 25.86 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 34.33 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 14.1 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 23.91 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 26.03 feet, above flood stage of 26 but below a tentative crest 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 27.01 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.
8:30 am Thursday: Americus Road fully open; Elmdale residents allowed back after water overtops dike; Emporia teen cited after water rescue
There is some good news when it comes to travel in Lyon County and Chase County as flooding continues almost areawide.
Americus Road is now fully open to traffic after it closed for the second time in less than 18 hours Wednesday night. Also, Road 240 between D and E reopened to traffic Thursday morning.
Unfortunately, a lengthy list of Lyon County roads remains closed:
*Kansas Highway 99 from 180 to 240 and south of Soden’s Grove to 130. The Kansas Turnpike floodgate at mile marker 122.5 is open for drivers south of Emporia.
*Burlingame Road near 190
*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
Good news is also coming out of Chase County after the town of Elmdale had a voluntary evacuation develop Wednesday as water overtopped a nearby dike 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 dike. Water went over the dike 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. However, Cedar Point and Clements are still inaccessible. Kansas Highway 177 remains closed between Cottonwood Falls and the Strong City railroad tracks, and US Highway 50 remains closed between Elmdale and Florence.
Rivers
Area rivers remain in flood, although levels are coming down at several area gauges.
The Cottonwood River at Emporia is at 25.82 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 34.32 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 14.1 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 23.91 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 26.8 feet, above flood stage of 26 but below a tentative crest 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 26.99 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.
7:15 am Thursday: Emporia teen rescued from water near 140/J; Americus Road traffic open to one lane
Lyon County deputies say an Emporia teenager was taken to Newman Regional Health for observation and possible treatment after driving into floodwaters early Thursday morning.
Deputy Cory Nicolet says 19-year-old Apryl Salender reported being swept off Road J and she was on the roof of her car when she called authorities shortly after 3 am. Deputies found Salender’s car swept from Road J into a field southeast of 140 and J. Emporia’s water rescue team was mobilized and got Salender to dry land about an hour after she called 911. She was then taken to Newman Regional Health.
Deputies say Salender went around a barricade and then reported she couldn’t stop in time before her car went into the water. She was able to call 911 before her cell phone battery died. Salender was cited for driving around a barricade.
Photos from Lyon County Sheriff’s Office
{gallery}Water Rescue LYSO 050919{/gallery}
6:20 am Thursday: Americus Road partially opens, but K-99, other area highways remain closed; flood warnings extended
Significant flooding continues across the KVOE listening area, and will likely continue into the upcoming weekend after close to a foot of rain since late April.
The flooding has impacted travel just about all over the area.
Lyon County
Kansas Highway 99 from 180 to 240 and south of Soden’s Grove to 130. The Kansas Turnpike floodgate at mile marker 122.5 is open for drivers south of Emporia
*Americus Road at 215 is now open to one lane of traffic. A pilot car and flagger are currently in place
*Burlingame Road near 190
*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 240 from D to E
*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
Americus
*Oak at Main
Chase County
Elmdale is being evacuated. Cedar Point and Clements are inaccessible. And public workers in Strong City are filling sandbags to protect city buildings.
That gives a sense of the scope of flooding in Chase County, which went to new levels when water overtopped the Elmdale dike. Chase County Sheriff Richard Dorneker says this is not a dike failure at this point.
A voluntary — but strongly-encouraged — evacuation is now underway. People needing to leave can take US Highway 50 to get to St. Anthony Church in Strong City or to Chase County Elementary School if the parish hall is full. So far, no injuries have been reported.
Heavy rainfall, both this week and last, has set the table for significant flooding in Chase County. Kansas Highway 177 remains closed between Cottonwood Falls and the Strong City railroad tracks, and Dorneker says numerous county roads are closed — especially along the Cottonwood River and near US Highway 50. US 50 is now closed between Elmdale and Florence due to flooding and it may not reopen until Friday.
Coffey County
*16th from Angus to Blackbird; at Kafir
Greenwood County
*55 Street from H to J
*140 Street from P to P-50
*150 Street from M to N
*180 Street from S to T
*200 Street from CC50 to DD; from EE to FF
*310 Street from T to U; from V to W
*330 Street from BB50 to CC
*360 Street from P to Q
*380 Street from V to V-50
*AA Road from 210 to 230
*BB50 Road from US Highway 400 to the Greenwood-Elk county line
*CC50 Road from US Highway 400 and Trader Street
*GG Road from US Highway 54 to 165
*P Road from 130 to 140
*T Road from 310 to 320
*U Road from 160 to 170; from 380 to 390
*V Road from 310 to 320; from Greenwood-Elk county line and Road 10
*R50 Road from 160 to 175
Morris County
*US Highway 56 1 mile east of Delavan
*Dunlap Road
*2200 to 2600 Road
*2500 to T
*R west of 500
*V at 2600
*Numerous Council Grove Reservoir coves are closed with the reservoir almost 4.5 feet above the previous all-time high set in 1977
Osage County
*Kansas Highway 68 north of Quenemo
*133rd at Fairlawn
*205th from Paulen to South Shawnee Height
*250th at Shawnee Heights
*Wolf Creek Road
*Entrances to Cedar Park and Michigan Valley Park
*Pomona Lake has limited access
The Cottonwood River at Emporia is at 25.93 feet, above flood stage of 20. 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 34.22 feet, above flood stage of 32. Moderate flooding has started. The river could climb to 35.8 feet — third all-time if the forecast holds — 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 14.1 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 23.48 feet, above flood of 19 feet but below a tentative crest of 23.61 feet Wednesday. Moderate flooding is underway. The river could crest at 23.8 feet Thursday morning and go below flood stage Thursday night. The warning goes until Friday afternoon.
At Americus, moderate flooding is underway as the river is at 27.08 feet, above flood stage of 26 but below a tentative crest 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 26.69 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.
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