Travel adjustments are still in place for many roadways and water rescues have been occurring frequently across portions of the KVOE listening area since torrential rainfall led to significant flooding across the area this week.
In fact, local law enforcement, specifically the Chase County Sheriff’s Office, has been repeatedly reminding drivers not to drive around barricades or through flood waters of any kind after having to perform a handful of rescues both Wednesday and Thursday. The latest rescue came Thursday afternoon at the intersection of 210 Road and U Road east of Cottonwood Falls after a bread truck tried to pass through a few hundred feet of water before it was carried off the roadway by the current.
The driver managed to escape the vehicle and floated with the current to a power pole, where they were retrieved by rescue crews using a boat. The driver was examined at the scene and refused medical transport. The driver was cited for disobeying a traffic control device.
Meanwhile, two water rescues happened in Strong City Wednesday afternoon and there was another incident near Strong City late Wednesday night. Chase County Sheriff Jacob Welsh says rescue workers were checking on one resident south of downtown Strong City shortly before 3 pm when another from a block away requested a rescue. Both were taken to safety in separate boats. The Chase County Sheriff’s Office also says the driver of a rental car went past two sets of barricades before getting the vehicle stuck near P Road and 215 Road on Wednesday night. No boats were needed to get the driver to safety.
While the list of road closures across the area remains lengthy, there has been some good news on that front as the Chase County Sheriff’s Office reported Thursday that Kansas Highway 177 has reopened to traffic. That said, Kansas Highway 99 remains closed between Emporia’s southern city limits and Road 130. For drivers using K-99, the Kansas Turnpike Authority has opened its floodgates at mile marker 122 and near Lyon County Road 140. Drivers exiting the Turnpike are told to use Road 140 to Road F and then drive south to Road 110 before driving east to K-99. Highway 99 drivers, meanwhile, are told to go to Road 130, drive west to H, north to 140 and east to the Turnpike.
As for local roadways, the list remains lengthy both for Lyon and Chase counties:
Lyon County road closures
*Road 50 from Highway 99 to Road R
*Road 140 between Road J and Kansas Highway 99
*Road 150 between Roads D and F; between Road K and Kansas Highway 99; between Roads M and N; between Roads W and X
*Road 160 from Road N to Road R
*Road 170 from Road M7 to Road R1; from Road Y to Road Z
*Road 165 from Road M to Road N
*Road 190 from Burlingame Road to Road L5
*Road 200 from Road R to Road S
*Road 225 from Road F to Road F5
*Road 240 from C to the Americus City Limits
*Road 250 from Road D to Road E’ from Road H-5 to Road J-7
*Road 260 from Road D to Road E; from Road G to Road H-5
*Road 270 from Road D to Road F
*Road A from Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B-2 from US Highway 50 to Road 175
*Road B-5 from US Highway 50 to Road 175
*Roac C from US Highway 50 to Road 175
*Road D from Road 260 to 270
*Road E from 260 to 270
*Road F from 225 to 235
*Road J between Roads 140 and 160; between Roads 240 and 250
*Road K between Roads 130 and 150
*Road M from Road 190 to Road 197
*Road N from Road 160 to Road 170
*Road P from Road 40 to Road 60; from Road 150 to Road 170
*Road R from Road 150 to Road 170
Lyon County road openings Thursday:
*Road J between Roads 190 and 215
Lyon County road openings Wednesday:
*Road 130 from Road R to Road S
*Road 215 between Road H5 and Road J7
*Road G from Road 50 to Road 60
*Road K-5 from Road 70 to Kansas Highway 99
*Road M from Road 110 to Road 120
*Road U from Road 70 to Road 75
Chase County road closures:
*Lake Rd between Cottonwood Falls and Elmdale
*Road B in Cedar Point north and south of Hwy 50
*N Rd south of Lake Rd
*Camp Wood Rd in Elmdale
*170th and B Rd north of Hwy 50 in Cedar Point
*88th Rd in Cedar Point
*G Rd south of Hwy 50 in Clements
*PR Rd Cottonwood Falls
*YY Rd north and south of Hwy 50
*XX Rd north and south of Hwy 50
*Norton Creek Rd Bazaar
*Sharps Creed Rd Bazaar
*U Rd and Old Hwy 50, Strong City
*LP Rd
*Middle Creek Rd
*Diamond Creek Rd
*South Cottonwood St in Strong City
Not only has the flooding led to traffic detours, it has also led to some adjustments for the community calendar.
*The Emporia Municipal Band has moved its concert Thursday night, originally scheduled to take place at Fremont Park, to Peter Pan Park. The concert will begin at 7:30 pm.
*The Jones Aquatic Center is closed until further notice after a lightning strike Tuesday damaged a pump. Replacement part is on order, but the pool needs extra time to balance pH levels after the pump is installed.
Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates as the flood situation continues.
9:21 am Thursday: FLOODS: Portions of K-99 and K-177 still closed; third water rescue noted in Chase County
Kansas Highway 99 remains closed between Emporia’s southern city limits and Road 130, while Kansas Highway 177 is still closed between Cottonwood Falls and Strong City as flooding continues across the central and southern portions of the KVOE listening area Thursday morning.
For drivers using K-99, the Kansas Turnpike Authority has opened its floodgates at mile marker 122 and near Lyon County Road 140. Drivers exiting the Turnpike are told to use Road 140 to Road F and then drive south to Road 110 before driving east to K-99. Highway 99 drivers, meanwhile, are told to go to Road 130, drive west to H, north to 140 and east to the Turnpike.
Kansas Turnpike Authority map.
There is no official detour posted on Kandrive.gov for K-177 travelers going between Strong City and Cottonwood Falls.
The flooding kept Saffordville underwater for most, if not all, of Wednesday. Also, access to Plymouth on the south side of the town was blocked all day due to floodwaters.
Besides the river levels and road access, which will be addressed shortly, part of Wednesday’s flood aftermath involved water rescues.
Emporia Fire was called out to Road C about 100 yards north of US Highway 50 after a vehicle got stuck. This was a unique response because it was the first time the Water Rescue team could use special drone equipment to help the driver. Emporia Fire Training Officer Matt Luder says things worked out better than expected.
Meanwhile, two water rescues happened in Strong City Wednesday afternoon and there was another incident near Strong City late Wednesday night. Chase County Sheriff Jacob Welsh says rescue workers were checking on one resident south of downtown Strong City shortly before 3 pm when another from a block away requested a rescue. Both were taken to safety in separate boats. The Chase County Sheriff’s Office also says the driver of a rental car went past two sets of barricades before getting the vehicle stuck near P Road and 215 Road on Wednesday night. No boats were needed to get the driver to safety.
The Lyon County road closure list remains long after flood activity Wednesday.
Lyon County road closures
*Road 50 from Highway 99 to Road R
*Road 140 between Road J and Kansas Highway 99
*Road 150 between Roads D and F; between Road K and Kansas Highway 99; between Roads M and N; between Roads W and X
*Road 160 from Road N to Road R
*Road 170 from Road M7 to Road R1; from Road Y to Road Z
*Road 165 from Road M to Road N
*Road 190 from Burlingame Road to Road L5
*Road 200 from Road R to Road S
*Road 225 from Road F to Road F5
*Road 240 from C to the Americus City Limits
*Road 250 from Road D to Road E’ from Road H-5 to Road J-7
*Road 260 from Road D to Road E; from Road G to Road H-5
*Road 270 from Road D to Road F
*Road A from Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B-2 from US Highway 50 to Road 175
*Road B-5 from US Highway 50 to Road 175
*Roac C from US Highway 50 to Road 175
*Road D from Road 260 to 270
*Road E from 260 to 270
*Road F from 225 to 235
*Road J between Roads 140 and 160; between Roads 190 and 215; between Roads 240 and 250
*Road K between Roads 130 and 150
*Road M from Road 190 to Road 197
*Road N from Road 160 to Road 170
*Road P from Road 40 to Road 60; from Road 150 to Road 170
*Road R from Road 150 to Road 170
Lyon County road openings Wednesday:
*Road 130 from Road R to Road S
*Road 215 between Road H5 and Road J7
*Road G from Road 50 to Road 60
*Road K-5 from Road 70 to Kansas Highway 99
*Road M from Road 110 to Road 120
*Road U from Road 70 to Road 75
Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell says damaged roads could reopen relatively quickly, but the extent of damage — roads and otherwise — will become clear later.
Chase County road closures:
*Lake Rd between Cottonwood Falls and Elmdale
*Road B in Cedar Point north and south of Hwy 50
*N Rd south of Lake Rd
*Camp Wood Rd in Elmdale
*170th and B Rd north of Hwy 50 in Cedar Point
*88th Rd in Cedar Point
*G Rd south of Hwy 50 in Clements
*PR Rd Cottonwood Falls
*YY Rd north and south of Hwy 50
*XX Rd north and south of Hwy 50
*Norton Creek Rd Bazaar
*Sharps Creed Rd Bazaar
*U Rd and Old Hwy 50 Strong City
*LP Rd
*Middle Creek Rd
*Diamond Creek Rd
*South Cottonwood St in Strong City
The flooding has also impacted the local community calendar:
*The Emporia Municipal Band will move its concert Thursday night due to wet conditions at Fremont Park, but the location isn’t set yet. The concert will be at the Peter Pan Park arbor shelter if it’s dry and Emporia State’s Albert Taylor Hall if it’s raining.
*The Jones Aquatic Center is closed until further notice after a lightning strike Tuesday damaged a pump. Replacement part is on order but pool needs extra time to balance pH levels after the pump is installed.
Showers and thunderstorms are possible but unlikely Thursday afternoon, followed by a much better chance of activity Thursday night and a decent chance of showers and storms Friday. At this point, light to moderate rain is expected and should not be widespread.
Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates as the flood situation continues.
