No water has washed over any roadways or impacted any homes at this point following a Wednesday evacuation advisory in parts of the Northview neighborhood was issued by local authorities. Riley County Emergency Operations and Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) officials held a press conference regarding Tuttle Creek Reservoir Thursday morning.
Levels as of 4 p.m. Thursday showed the lake at 1135.64 feet above mean sea level. Releases from the reservoir’s outlet works — or tubes — began at 7 a.m. Wednesday to keep levels at Tuttle from rising to 1136 feet above mean sea level. Originally planned for 15,000 cubic feet per second, inflows required the ACE to twice increase tube outflows. Current outflows were stepped up to 27,500 cfs at 5 p.m., previously recorded at 25,000 cfs and inflows are measured around 30,000 cfs. The tubes have the capacity to release up to 40,000 cfs, though they have only ever released volumes as high as 26,000 cfs from that outlet before today.
ACE Operation Project Manager Brian McNulty says as a result of the increases, they are no longer in flood control operations where releases are dictated by levels at the reservoir’s downstream target of Waverly, Missouri — which is seeing flows well over release thresholds. McNulty says they are currently in the transition to surcharge stage, demonstrated by the increase in outflows yesterday.
If they reach the top of the spillway gates, they enter surcharge stage. If projections show levels reaching 1136 feet, they will switch from releasing via the tubes to the spillway gates. McNulty says they have no plans to open the spillway gates as of this morning. If the gates do have to be opened, McNulty says they can be regulated to release amounts that match what are currently being released from the tubes or to match current inflow and that a spillway release does not mean residents should expect a “wall of water.”
If the spillway gates have to be opened, the amounts that are released will be dependent on the inflow. Riley County Emergency Operations Manager Pat Collins says whether a release would mirror the damage of the 1993 flood is dependent on “Mother Nature” and how much rain falls into the basin — which reaches up into Nebraska.
Collins also says they have been placing barricades near roads that may need to be blocked if flooding occurs as a precaution.
Officials also warn that water levels can cause deterioration of streambanks.
Collins also adds that they are collecting information for volunteers now, just in case they are needed in the future. You can sign up on CityofMHK.com/flood or contact the Flint Hills Volunteer Center — their phone number is (785) 776-7787.
