Historic Floods Measured in Southeast Kansas

Heavy rains beginning late last week continued throughout the weekend causing record-setting floods in east central and southeast Kansas. The U.S. Geological Survey streamgage on Fall River at Fredonia recorded nearly 16 inches of rain between Thursday and Saturday. On Saturday, 21 USGS streamgages in east central and southeast Kansas were above National Weather Service flood stage. The most significant floods occurred on the Marmaton River, Marais des Cygnes River, Fall River, Verdigris River, and Neosho River, many setting record river stages.

Rivers Measured at                   River Stage/
USGS Streamgages                     River Flow       Date                History

--Fall River at Fredonia               41.12          6/30     Exceeded previous record stage                                        71,700 cfs*              of 36.17 in 1945 by nearly 5 feet

--Elk River at Elk Falls               28.02          6/30     Highest river stage since 1976
                                      63,800 cfs

--Verdigris River at Independence      52.40          7/1      Exceeded previous record stage 
                                     150,000 cfs               of 47.28 in 1945 over 5 feet

--Marais des Cygnes River near         41.00          7/1      Highest river stage since 
Ottawa                                55,700 cfs               regulation by Pomona Lake

--Marais des Cygnes River near         40.25          7/2      Highest river stage since 
KS-MO Stateline                      128,000 cfs               gage operation began in 1959

--Neosho River near Parsons            35.05          7/2      Highest river stage since 1951
                                     164,000 cfs

*1 cfs (cubic feet per second).  One cubic foot equals 7.48 gallons, so the flow at Fall River at Fredonia is equivalent to 536,316 gallons of water flowing per second

Knowing the magnitude of the rain and flood probability, USGS crews worked the weekend making many streamflow measurements on rivers and streams to document the historic floods, including extra help from the USGS office in Tulsa.  “Provisional information indicates that the flood peaks on the Verdigris River, Fall River, and Marais des Cygnes River, will be greater than the 100-year flood levels, meaning that these floods have a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year,” said Jim Putnam, USGS hydrologist, Lawrence, Kansas.

Real-time information for all Kansas streamgages, including flood levels, can be monitored on the USGS web site at:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ks/nwis/rt

A summary of flood and high flow conditions for affected streamgages and other flood information in Kansas is available on WaterWatch at:

http://water.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/wwdp?region_cd=ks

To view other USGS water information in Kansas, visit:

http://ks.water.usgs.gov

The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to:  describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

***USGS***