Spotty moderate to heavy rain Saturday night only helped to aggravate ongoing flooding across the KVOE listening area.
Rain totals
*KVOE studios: 0.60 inches
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 0.20 inches
*Allen: 0.40 inches
*Bushong: 1.1 inches
*Hartford: 0.50 inches
*Neosho Rapids: 0.40 inches
Travel
Lyon County
*Kansas Highway 99 remains closed until further notice from Emporia’s south city limits to Road 130. Access to Old Highway 99 bridge and All Veterans Memorial is now closed until K-99 reopens, and Commercial Street is closed to thru traffic from Logan Avenue to Soden’s Grove until further notice. The David Traylor Zoo remains open.
The Emporia Police Department wishes to remind individuals the only vehicles allowed to go past the barricades are residents who live in the area. Emporia Police also reminds individuals it is illegal to drive or walk around a barricade in place and will result in a citation for the offense. For those wishing to visit the David Traylor Zoo, the entrance is accessible at Logan Avenue and South Exchange.
Other road closures:
*2100-2200 blocks Rd 40
*170 between Y & Z
*Road 250 between Roads D & F
*Road H between Roads 130 & 140
*300 block X
*300, 400 and 500 blocks Y
Chase County
*Kansas Highway 177 is open between Cottonwood Falls and Strong City, but there is water over the highway. A KDOT flagger is directing traffic
*Numerous county roads
Coffey County
*Kansas Highway 58 from Oxen to Planter east of US Highway 75.
Greenwood County
*Numerous county roads
Lakes
Unlike Friday night, Coffey County residents did not have to evacuate parts of Burlington after heavy rain inundated the Country Club Heights neighborhood. However, the Army Corps of Engineers increased the water flow out of John Redmond Reservoir and down the Neosho River from over 29,000 cubic feet per second to around 35,000 before dropping that amount down to around 32,000 cfs. Authorities are still encouraging residents in flood-prone areas in Burlington and LeRoy to evacuate.
In Greenwood County, In Greenwood County, Emergency Management has canceled the evacuation notice which went into effect for residents south of the Fall River dam Friday. Residents are still encouraged to follow the county’s various social media pages to stay updated on any changing conditions. The Army Corps of Engineers released around 36,000 cubic feet of water a second for most of Saturday before bringing that amount down to almost 13,000 cfs. Areas downstream have “unflooded” after a late-night evacuation near Fall River State Lake Friday into Saturday.
In Osage County, the Army Corps of Engineers has closed Outlet Pond to prevent “elevated risk to life and safety” as the lake level is currently within 3 feet of the uncontrolled spillway. Current projections are indicating the lake will rise to elevation 1,055 feet by Sunday. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, water begins flowing uncontrollably through the spillway at 1,057 feet — which would lead to direct, immediate impacts at Outlet Park.
There have been no lake-related issues reported in Chase County, although the Lake Kahola level is six inches above the spillway at last word.
Rivers
Most river gauges remain in flood through the KVOE listening area.
The Cottonwood is in flood from Emporia west to Cottonwood Falls.
*At Emporia, the river is at 24.96 feet, above flood stage of 20 feet. The river may rise to 25.4 by Monday morning and may not drop below flood stage until late Thursday.
*At Plymouth, the river is currently at 33.02 feet, above flood stage is 32 feet. The river crest at 34.7 feet Sunday evening and go below flood stage Tuesday.
*At Cottonwood Falls, the river is at 11.2 feet, above flood stage of 9 feet. The river could get to 11.6 feet Sunday evening and go below flood stage Wednesday.
The Neosho is also in flood from Neosho Rapids southeast to LeRoy.
*At Emporia, the river is at 20.5 feet, above flood stage of 19. The river could climb to 22.3 feet Sunday and go below flood stage Monday.
*At Neosho Rapids, the river is at 26.27 feet above flood stage of 22 feet. Current projections have the river cresting at 28.6 feet Monday. The river may drop below flood stage the upcoming weekend.
*At Burlington, the river is at 32.65 feet, above the flood stage of 27, and may hold steady at that mark for days.
*At LeRoy, the river was last observed at 28.45 feet, above flood stage of 23 feet. The river may hold steady through the upcoming weekend.
Sunday forecast
As for the potential of rain and storms in the coming days, National Weather Service Meteorologist Bill Gargan explains there is a potential for more thunderstorm activity this morning. Strong storms are possible, although the overall risk is marginal.
A flash flood warning continues for southern Greenwood County until 11 am. County-wide flood warnings continue for Chase and Greenwood counties until 10:30 pm Monday. Flash flood watches continue areawide through Monday morning.
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates. Join KVOE’s social media accounts on Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews for instant weather and travel alerts if you have not already done so. Also, make sure to download the free KVOE mobile app so you have our severe weather coverage wherever you may be.
