The list of road closures in Lyon County is shrinking considerably.
The Lyon County Highway Department announced the following road openings Monday afternoon:
Road 140 from road J to 99 hwy
Road 150 from road J to 99 hwy
Road 155 from road K to 99 hwy
Rd 150 from Rd N to R
RD 160 from Rd N to P
RD 160 from Rd R to S
Rd N from Rd 160 to 170
Rd P from Rd 140 to 170
Rd R from Rd 160 to 170
Rd S from Rd 150 to 170
Barricades are still in place at:
Road G from 160 to 170
Road J between 140 and 160
Road K between 140 and 155
Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell says the remaining barricades will be removed once the roads have been inspected and cleared by the Highway Department. He says just because a roadway may not have water over it, does not mean it is safe to travel on.
The list of road closures developed after upwards of five inches of rainfall fell across the KVOE listening area early Sunday morning leading to a number of flood warnings across the area. A flood warning continues for the Cottonwood River at Emporia, but it has been shortened — ending early Wednesday afternoon instead of Wednesday evening — and the projected crest has been reduced from 25.5 feet Wednesday to 22.6 feet.
As of 3:30 pm, the river was at 22.51 feet and rising.
10 am Monday: WEATHER: Projected crest reduced for Cottonwood at Emporia; all other river-based flood warnings for area counties canceled
The flooding situation affecting Lyon and Chase counties may not be as impactful as first thought.
The National Weather Service has canceled the flood warnings for the Cottonwood River at Plymouth and Cottonwood Falls, as well as the Neosho River at Neosho Rapids. The Cottonwood at Plymouth crested at 31.84 feet Sunday evening, below flood stage of 32 feet and below the projected crest of 33 feet. At Cottonwood Falls, the river crested Sunday at 9.1 feet, just above flood stage of 9 feet but below the expected crest of 11 feet.
The Neosho at Neosho Rapids is now expected to crest at 21 feet Monday afternoon, below flood stage of 22 feet and below the projected crest of 24.3 feet.
The flood warning continues for the Cottonwood River at Emporia, but it has been shortened — ending early Wednesday afternoon instead of Wednesday evening — and the projected crest has been reduced from 25.5 feet Wednesday to 22.4 feet Monday afternoon.
Even with the good news about the flooding situation, Lyon and Chase counties still have road closures in effect after heavy rainfall this past weekend.
The Lyon County list:
*Road 140 between J and Kansas Highway 99
*Road 150 from H to J; from J to Kansas Highway 99; from N to R
*Road 160 from N to P; from R to S
*Road G from 160 to 170
*Road J between 140 and 160
*Road K between 140 and 155
*Road N from 160 to 170
*Road P from 140 to 170
*Road R from 160 to 170
*Road S from 150 to 170
Emporia’s Mechanic Street underpass and the 1400 block of Prairie were reopened Sunday.
Chase County, meanwhile, has over 10 roads closed. The list is currently pending.
With flooding now possible near Emporia into Wednesday, even with a mostly dry and increasingly hot week ahead, Lyon County Sgt. Zach Shafer urges drivers to be safe.
KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media will update the flooding situation for the duration of this event.
6:45 am Monday: Cottonwood in flood at Emporia, Cottonwood Falls; over 20 road segments closed in Lyon and Chase counties
The KVOE listening area should be largely dry all week, based on the current forecast. Which is good after area residents got anywhere from 2-6 inches of rainfall early Sunday and, in some cases, six inches or more for the entire weekend.
The National Weather Service expects minor to moderate flooding along the Cottonwood River from Emporia to the west and the Neosho River from Emporia to the east to begin the week:
*Cottonwood at Emporia: Flood warning until Wednesday evening. The river went above the 20-foot flood stage around 11 pm Sunday and is now at 21 feet, with a projected crest at 25.5 feet early Wednesday. Moderate flooding is expected. The river is set to go below flood stage Wednesday afternoon. The Cottonwood floods the south bank of Kansas Highway 99 at 24 feet and the north bank at 25.5 feet.
*Cottonwood at Plymouth: Flood warning until late Wednesday morning. The river tentatively crested at 31.84 feet Sunday evening, but the current forecast still calls for a crest of 33 feet Tuesday afternoon, above flood stage of 32 feet. The river should go below flood stage early Wednesday morning. Minor flooding is expected. Sections of Road A flood at low-water crossings at 33 feet.
*Cottonwood River at Cottonwood Falls: Flood warning until Wednesday morning. The river went into flood Sunday evening after going above 9 feet. The current projected crest is 11 feet Monday evening. The river should go below flood stage Wednesday morning. Moderate flooding is expected. At 11 feet, the river floods part of Bates Park in Cottonwood Falls.
*Neosho at Neosho Rapids: Flood warning from Monday afternoon to Wednesday evening. At 4 am Monday, the river was at 20.22 feet, approaching flood stage of 22 feet. The river should pass flood stage Monday afternoon, crest at 24.3 feet Tuesday afternoon and go below flood stage Wednesday afternoon. Moderate flooding is expected. The river floods low-lying areas at 22 feet and overtops Road 145 on the west side of the river bridge at 23 feet.
Most of Chase County remains in a county-specific flood warning until 8 pm. Matfield Green is the only incorporated community not included in the warning.
Several gravel roads in Lyon and Chase counties are closed due the rainfall. Lyon County Sgt. Zach Shafer says a lot of the typical flood areas are affected now, and driving conditions near those areas are pretty standard as well after a hard rain.
The Lyon County list:
*Road 140 between J and Kansas Highway 99
*Road 150 from H to J; from J to Kansas Highway 99; from N to R
*Road 160 from N to P; from R to S
*Road G from 160 to 170
*Road J between 140 and 160
*Road K between 140 and 155
*Road N from 160 to 170
*Road P from 140 to 170
*Road R from 160 to 170
*Road S from 150 to 170
Emporia’s Mechanic Street underpass and the 1400 block of Prairie were reopened Sunday.
Chase County, meanwhile, has over 10 roads closed. The list is currently pending.
KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media will update the flooding situation for the duration of this event.
