As water levels at Tuttle Creek Reservoir are on a rising trend once again, the Emergency Operations Center in Manhattan has re-opened in response.
Officials from multiple emergency services across the City of Manhattan as well as Riley and Pottawatomie Counties will collaborate to monitor conditions at the lake and on the Kansas River. No advisories have been issued for communities downstream of the dam at this time.
After decreasing over the past few weeks, the lake rose from 1128.91 ft on June 21 to 1132.53 ft as of 10 a.m. Thursday, June 27. Riley County Emergency Management Director Pat Collins says area residents should stay aware of conditions and be prepared should the situation worsen.
“In 1993 the lake came up and went down three times before the flood,” Collins says. “Right now we’re working with the US Army Corps of Engineers to track information and prepare people for the possibility of flooding.”
Flooding is dependent on multiple factors — one being the amount of precipitation in the 1000 square mile basin for Tuttle as well as the height of the Kansas River. The Kansas River is expected to reach 18.1 ft Thursday. Releases from Tuttle at 20,000 cfs have the potential to cause neighborhood flooding if the Kansas River is at a height over 18 ft. Outflow from the reservoir is currently at 8,000 cfs and will be increased to 10,000 cfs later Thursday and up to 16,000 cfs by Monday.
Watersports including swimming, kayaking and canoeing are not recommended due to swift currents and hidden obstacles and debris in floodwaters. Additionally, the boat ramps at Rocky Ford Park and Fairmont will be closed Friday for safety concerns.
Stay up-to-date on flooding information at cityofmhk.com/flood, on Facebook at Manhattan Flood Updates and on Twitter @Updatesflood. The Manhattan Flood Hotline will play a recorded message to be updated daily at (785) 587-452 and if conditions become more serious it will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
