Flooding has returned to the KVOE listening area for the fourth time since early May, and its impact is already being felt in ways other than traffic adjustments.
The flooding in Chase County has led to the closure of one county office Monday. The Treasurer’s Office will be closed with staff either unable to get to the office or out of state. Normal hours should resume Tuesday. There is no word about whether flooding will force the closure of other Chase County offices.
Meanwhile, rivers keep rising areawide.
*Cottonwood River at Emporia: Warning until 7 pm Thursday. The river shot up from around 5 feet Saturday afternoon to 20.86 feet Sunday evening, passing flood stage of 20 feet. It is expected to reach 25.3 feet by Tuesday morning, close to the level where it crosses both lanes of Kansas Highway 99 at 25.5 feet.
*Cottonwood River at Cottonwood Falls: Warning until 9 pm Wednesday. River was under 3 feet early Sunday, below flood stage of 9 feet. It has since risen to 7.9 feet. It should climb above flood stage Sunday evening and crest at 12.8 feet Monday morning, above the prior forecast of 9.7 feet.
*Cottonwood at Plymouth: Warning until 2 am Wednesday. River is now at 32.18 feet, above flood stage of 32 feet. It should crest at 33.9 feet Monday evening.
*Neosho River at Emporia: Warning until 7:30 am Tuesday. Early Sunday morning the river was reported at 14.8 feet, with flood stage is 19 feet. Forecast shows the river passing flood stage Sunday evening and reaching as high as 24 feet Monday morning.
*Neosho River at Neosho Rapids: Warning until 2:30 pm Wednesday. River is at 23.66 feet, above flood stage of 22. River should go rise to 27.3 feet Monday evening. River should go below flood stage Tuesday evening.
*Marais des Cygnes above Reading: Warning until 1 pm Monday. River is at 19.67 feet, above flood stage of 19 but below a crest of 19.92 feet early Sunday evening. River should go below flood stage Monday morning.
*Kansas Highway 99 is down to one lane in the 2000 block, two miles north of Emporia. Flagger is directing traffic
*Road A from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road H between 140 and 145; between 160 and 165
*1300 and 1400 blocks Road J; J from 30th Avenue (Road 190) to 215
*1300 and 1400 blocks Road K; K from 190 to 210
*Road M between 140 and 150
*Road 140 between Road H and Kansas Highway 99
*700 block Road 145
*Road 150 between Road J and Kansas Highway 99
*Road 155 between F and G
*700 and 800 blocks Road 160
*Road 190 from K to K-5
*Road 210 from Road K to Kansas Highway 99
*Road 215 from F-5 to H-5; H-5 to J-7
If you are traveling overnight and encounter water over roads, remember the National Weather Service adage, “Turn around, don’t drown.” The Lyon County Highway Department and Sheriff’s Office both remind drivers it is illegal to drive around barricades.
6:30 pm Sunday: Cottonwood at Emporia now in flood as more roads added to Lyon County closure list
Three area river gauges are in flood as the weekend comes to a close, and more could start flooding by Monday morning.
*Cottonwood River at Emporia: Warning until 7 pm Thursday. The river shot up from around 5 feet Saturday afternoon to 20.34 feet early Sunday evening, passing flood stage of 20 feet. It is expected to reach 25.3 feet by Tuesday morning, close to the level where it crosses both lanes of Kansas Highway 99 at 25.5 feet.
*Cottonwood River at Cottonwood Falls: Warning until 9 pm Wednesday. River was under 3 feet early Sunday, below flood stage of 9 feet. It has since risen to 7.9 feet. It should climb above flood stage Sunday evening and crest at 12.8 feet Monday morning, above the prior forecast of 9.7 feet.
*Cottonwood at Plymouth: Warning until 2 am Wednesday. River was 31.54 feet, below flood stage of 32 feet but well above the Saturday afternoon reading of around 8 feet. It should go above flood stage by Sunday night and crest at 33.9 feet Monday evening.
*Neosho River at Emporia: Warning until 7:30 am Tuesday. Early Sunday morning the river was reported at 14.8 feet, with flood stage is 19 feet. Forecast shows the river passing flood stage Sunday evening and reaching as high as 24 feet Monday morning.
*Neosho River at Neosho Rapids: Warning until 2:30 pm Wednesday. River is at 23.47 feet, above flood stage of 22. River should go rise to 27.3 feet Monday evening. River should go below flood stage Tuesday evening.
*Marais des Cygnes above Reading: Warning until 1 pm Monday. RIver is at 19.83 feet, above flood stage of 19. RIver should crest around 20.7 feet before midnight and go below flood stage Monday morning.
Meanwhile, the 400 block of Road 240 has reopened after being briefly inundated. However, more roads have been closed in the latest update from the Lyon County Emergency Communication Center:
*Kansas Highway 99 is down to one lane in the 2000 block, two miles north of Emporia. Flagger is directing traffic
*Road A from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road H between 140 and 145; between 160 and 165
*1300 and 1400 blocks Road J
*1300 and 1400 blocks Road K
*Road M between 140 and 150
*Road 140 between Road H and Kansas Highway 99
*700 block Road 145
*Road 150 between Road J and Kansas Highway 99
*Road 155 between F and G
*700 and 800 blocks Road 160
*Road 210 from Road K to Kansas Highway 99
*Road 215 from F-5 to H-5; 900 block Road 215
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for more developments.
4 pm Sunday: K-99 down to one lane north of Emporia; Neosho River back in flood at Neosho Rapids
After flooding hammered much of the KVOE listening area nearly the entire month of May, floodwaters have been much more isolated in June. Up to this point.
Heavy rain from two separate storm events during the last work week, coupled with heavy rains this weekend, have set the stage for more widespread flooding that could last for most of the upcoming week.
Numerous roads are now closed in Lyon and surrounding counties.
Lyon County
*Kansas Highway 99 is down to one lane in the 2000 block, two miles north of Emporia. Flagger is directing traffic
*Road H between 140 and 145; between 160 and 165
*1300 and 1400 blocks Road J
*1300 and 1400 blocks Road K
*Road 140 between Road H and Kansas Highway 99
*700 block Road 145
*Road 150 between Road J and Kansas Highway 99
*Road 155 between F and G
*700 and 800 blocks Road 160
*400 block Road 240
Chase County
*A north of US Highway 50
*C to Cedar Point
*DE between 40 and 50
*XX from US Highway 50 to 240
*88 between A and B
*130 to Cedar Point
*140 to US Highway 50
*Camp Wood Road from Address 883 to Address 1080
*Sharps Creek south of Bazaar
Access to Cedar Point is available from 130 Road. Access to Elmdale is available by using US Highway 50.
Coffey County
*16th at Angus; at Kafir
Osage County
*Kansas Highway 268 north of Quenemo
*South Stubbs Road south of Quenemo
*South Fourth near Osage City Dam
Meanwhile, most area gauges are now in a flood warning.
*Cottonwood River at Emporia: Warning until 7 pm Thursday. The river shot up from around 5 feet Saturday afternoon to 19.1 feet Sunday afternoon, approaching flood stage of 20 feet. It is expected to exceed flood stage by Sunday evening and climb to 25.3 feet by Tuesday morning, close to the level where it crosses both lanes of Kansas Highway 99 at 25.5 feet.
*Cottonwood River at Cottonwood Falls: Warning until 9 pm Wednesday. River was under 3 feet early Sunday, below flood stage of 9 feet. It has since risen to 7.9 feet. It should climb above flood stage Sunday evening and crest at 12.8 feet Monday morning, above the prior forecast of 9.7 feet.
*Cottonwood at Plymouth: Warning until 2 am Wednesday. River was at 30.87 feet, below flood stage of 32 feet but well above the Saturday afternoon reading of around 8 feet. It should go above flood stage by Sunday night and crest at 33.9 feet Monday evening.
*Neosho River at Emporia: Warning until 7:30 am Tuesday. Early Sunday morning the river was reported at 14.8 feet, with flood stage is 19 feet. Forecast shows the river passing flood stage Sunday evening and reaching as high as 24 feet Monday morning.
*Neosho River at Neosho Rapids: Warning until 2:30 pm Wednesday. River is at 23.25 feet, above flood stage of 22. River should go rise to 27.3 feet Monday evening.
River should go below flood stage Tuesday evening.
Weekend rain totals have been impressive:
*KVOE studios: 2.8 inches since 10 pm Saturday, 3.8 inches total
*East Emporia: 3.2 inches total
*Central Emporia: 4.5 inches
*PrairieLand Partners area: 3.5 inches total
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 2.67 inches total
*Allen: 2.5 inches Sunday
*Americus: 3.5 inches total
*Bushong: 3.1 inches total
*Lyndon: 3.3 inches
*Madison: 3.25 inches Sunday, 4.25 inches total
*Melvern Lake dam: 4.5 inches
*Neosho Rapids: 5.6 inches estimated Sunday, 6.1 inches total
*Olpe: 3.9 inches Sunday
*Reading: 4 inches Sunday
*North central Lyon County: 3.8 to 4.3 inches total
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates this week. Click here for KVOE News’ weather coverage from earlier this weekend.
