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Great Flood of 1951

In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise in the Kansas River Kansas River

The Kansas (or Kaw) River is a river [i] in eastern Kansas [i] in the United States [i]. ... 

 and other surrounding areas. Flooding resulted in the Kansas Kansas River

The Kansas (or Kaw) River is a river [i] in eastern Kansas [i] in the United States [i]. ... 

, Neosho Neosho River

The Neosho River is a tributary [i] of the Arkansas River [i] in eastern Kansas [i] and northeastern Oklahoma [i] ... 

, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins Drainage basin

A drainage basin is a region of land where water [i] from rain [i] or snow [i]melt drains downhill into ... 

. The damage in June and July of 1951 exceeded 935 million dollars in an area covering eastern Kansas Kansas

Kansas is a Midwestern [i] state [i] in the Central [i] United States [i] ... 

 and Missouri Missouri

Missouri named after the Missouri Siouan [i] Indian tribe meaning "town of the large canoes", is a cent ... 

, which, adjusting for inflation, is nearly 7 billion dollars in 2005. The flood resulted in the loss of 28 lives.

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1951   The Great Flood of 1951 reaches its highest point in Northeast Kansas Kansas

Kansas is a Midwestern [i] state [i] in the Central [i] United States [i] ... 

, culminating in the greatest flood damage to date in the Midwestern United States Midwestern United States

The Midwestern United States is a region of the north-central and northeastern United States of America [i] ... 

.



Encyclopedia

In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise in the Kansas River Kansas River

The Kansas (or Kaw) River is a river [i] in eastern Kansas [i] in the United States [i]. ... 

 and other surrounding areas. Flooding resulted in the Kansas Kansas River

The Kansas (or Kaw) River is a river [i] in eastern Kansas [i] in the United States [i]. ... 

, Neosho Neosho River

The Neosho River is a tributary [i] of the Arkansas River [i] in eastern Kansas [i] and northeastern Oklahoma [i] ... 

, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins Drainage basin

A drainage basin is a region of land where water [i] from rain [i] or snow [i]melt drains downhill into... 

. The damage in June and July of 1951 exceeded 935 million dollars in an area covering eastern Kansas Kansas

Kansas is a Midwestern [i] state [i] in the Central [i] United States [i] ... 

 and Missouri Missouri

Missouri named after the Missouri Siouan [i] Indian tribe meaning "town of the large canoes", is a cent... 

, which, adjusting for inflation, is nearly 7 billion dollars in 2005. The flood resulted in the loss of 28 lives.

The flood


The initial flooding began in June 1951 with heavy rains that month. The flooding reached its worst stages when between 8 and 16 inches fell on the region between July 9 and July 13. The flood levels reached their highest point since the Great Flood of 1844 and Flood of 1903. July 13 experienced the single greatest levels of flood and led to the greatest amount of destruction by flood experienced in the Midwest Midwestern United States

The Midwestern United States is a region of the north-central and northeastern United States of America [i] ... 

 as of that date.

The actual flood-levels are not accurately known for the Kansas River, as the water crested above all official flood gages. However, between Manhattan Manhattan, Kansas

Manhattan is a town located in northeastern Kansas [i] at the junction of the Kansas River [i] and Big Blue River [i] ... 

 and Bonner Springs Bonner Springs, Kansas

Bonner Springs is a river city located mostly in Wyandotte [i] and Johnson [i] ... 

 flood levels were between 4 and 6 feet above all previous records. The Marais Des Cygnes River, Verdigris River, and Neosho River crested more than 9 feet above previous records.

The heaviest initial damage by the flood crest was to Manhattan and Ft. Riley Fort Riley

Fort Riley is a United States Army [i] post located in Northeast Kansas [i], on the Kansas River [i], be ... 

. Barracks Barracks

Barracks are a type of military [i] housing.... 

 at the Fort were destroyed and the downtown business district was deluged under 8 feet of water. Following this, Topeka Topeka, Kansas


Topeka is the capital city [i] of the U.S. state [i] of Kansas [i] and the county seat [i] of Shawnee County [i]... 

 and Lawrence were also damaged by the same crest. Approximately 24,000 people were evacuated from Topeka.

In Kansas City, the flood began running over the top of the levees protecting the Argentine and Armourdale areas, resulting in the evacuation of 15,000 people. Houses in Armourdale had water all the way to their roofs. The flood devastated the Kansas City Stockyards Kansas City Stockyards

The Kansas City Stockyards in the West Bottoms [i] west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri [i] flourished ... 

 in the West Bottoms West Bottoms

The West Bottoms is an industrial area immediately to the west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri [i] at ... 

 at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. The Stockyards would never fully recover. The flood destroyed the TWA overhaul base at Fairfax Airport in Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City, Kansas

Kansas City is the third largest city [i] in the U.S. state [i] of Kansas [i] and the county seat [i] of... 

 prompting the city of Kansas City, Missouri, to relocate TWA to a new airport in Platte County, Missouri Platte County, Missouri

Platte County is a county [i] located in the U.S. state [i] of Missouri [i]. ... 

 that was to become Kansas City International Airport Kansas City International Airport

Kansas City International Airport is a public airport [i] located 15 miles northwest of Kansas City [i] ... 

.

On July 13, a total of 1,074,000 acres in Kansas and 926,000 acres in Missouri Missouri

Missouri named after the Missouri Siouan [i] Indian tribe meaning "town of the large canoes", is a cent... 

 were flooded.

The crest continued downstream passing through Boonville, Missouri Boonville, Missouri

Boonville is a city in Cooper County [i], Missouri [i], USA. ... 

 on July 17, Jefferson City, Missouri on July 18, Hermann, Missouri Hermann, Missouri

Hermann, the county seat [i] of Gasconade County, Missouri [i], was incorporated in 1845 [i]. ... 

 on July 19, and St. Charles, Missouri Saint Charles, Missouri

St. Charles is a city in St. Charles County, Missouri [i]. ... 

 on July 20 resulting in further flooding.

Flood levels


Here are the measured river crest levels that the various rivers reached in the region affected.

Kansas River


City River crest Height above flood stage Date of measurement
Manhattan Manhattan, Kansas

Manhattan is a town located in northeastern Kansas [i] at the junction of the Kansas River [i] and Big Blue River [i] ... 

33.4 ft 15.4 ft July 13
Wamego Wamego, Kansas

Wamego is a city in Pottawatomie County [i], Kansas [i], United States [i]. ... 

30.56 ft 11.56 ft July 13
Topeka Topeka, Kansas


Topeka is the capital city [i] of the U.S. state [i] of Kansas [i] and the county seat [i] of Shawnee County [i]... 

40.8 ft 14.8 ft July 13
Lecompton Lecompton, Kansas

Lecompton is a small community in Douglas County [i], Kansas [i], USA [i]. ... 

30.23 ft 13.25 ft July 13
Lawrence 29.9 ft 11.9 ft July 13

Marais Des Cygnes River


City River crest Height above flood stage Date of measurement
Ottawa 42.97 ft 11.97 ft July 11

Neosho River


City River crest Height above flood stage Date of measurement
Emporia Emporia, Kansas

Emporia is a city in Lyon County [i], Kansas [i], USA [i]. ... 

33.4 ft 13.4 ft July 11
Neosho Rapids Neosho Rapids, Kansas

Neosho Rapids is a city in Lyon County [i], Kansas [i], United States [i]. ... 

34.3 ft 12.3 ft July 11
Leroy Le Roy, Kansas

Le Roy is a city in Coffey County [i], Kansas [i], United States [i]. ... 

34.48 ft 11.48 ft July 12
Burlington Burlington, Kansas

Burlington is a city in Coffey County [i], Kansas [i], United States [i]. ... 

41.53 ft 14.53 ft July 12

Outcome


Following this flood a series of levees Levee

A levee, leve , floodbank or stopbank is a natural or artificial embankment [i] or dike [i] ... 

 and reservoirs were constructed throughout eastern Kansas. This new network of flood control structures helped to prevent widespread damage when the region was hit later by the Great Flood of 1993 Great Flood of 1993

[i] [[Midwest]... 

.

Prior to the flood there were five federal flood control dams in operation in the Kansas River basin:

  • Bonny dam in Colorado Colorado

    Colorado is a state [i] in the western United States [i].... 

  • Enders dam and Medicine Creek dam in Nebraska Nebraska

    Nebraska is a Great Plains [i] state [i] of the United States [i]. ... 

  • Cedar Bluff dam and Kanopolis dam in Kansas Kansas

    Kansas is a Midwestern [i] state [i] in the Central [i] United States [i] ... 




Several others had been planned by the Army Corp of Engineers United States Army Corps of Engineers

The United States Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, is made up of some 34,600 civilian [i] and 65... 

 and the Bureau of Reclamation United States Bureau of Reclamation

The United States Bureau of Reclamation is a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior [i] which o ... 

, both authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944 Flood Control Act of 1944

The Flood Control Act of 1944, enacted in the 2nd session of the 78th Congress [i] ... 

.

Since then, many dams have been constructed so that a total of eighteen dams now control the flow of the Kansas River Kansas River

The Kansas (or Kaw) River is a river [i] in eastern Kansas [i] in the United States [i]. ... 

. Many other reservoirs and levees were built in nearby in other basins were also built as part of a response to this flood, such as in the Osage River basin above the Lake of the Ozarks Lake of the Ozarks

The Lake of the Ozarks is a large man-made reservoir created by impounding the Osage River [i] in centra ... 

.

Comparison to other big floods


Channeling and levee construction have altered how the floods have hit various areas along the Missouri River. Here's a comparison of the three big floods since the early 1800s.

  • Great Flood of 1844 Great Flood of 1844

    The Great Flood of 1844 [i] is the biggest flood ever recorded on the Missouri River and Upper Mississippi Riv ... 

     - This was the biggest flood of the three in terms of rate of discharge at Westport Landing in Kansas City. It is estimated that 625,000 cubic feet per second was discharged in the flood. However the crest on July 16, 1844, almost a foot lower than the 1993 flood.
  • Great Flood of 1951 - The 1951 flood was the second biggest in terms of rate of discharge at 573,000 cubic feet per second . The 1951 crest on July 14, 1951, was almost two feet lower than the 1844 flood and three feet lower than 1993. However, the flood was the most devastating of all modern floods for Kansas City since its levee system was not built to withstand it. It destroyed the city's stockyards and forced the building of an airport away from the Missouri River bottoms.
  • Great Flood of 1993 Great Flood of 1993

    [i] [[Midwest]... 

     - The 1993 flood was the highest of any of the three but had the lowest discharge at 541,000 ft³/s . While the 1993 flood had devastating impacts elsewhere, Kansas City survived it relatively well because of levees improvements after the 1951 flood.

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