A creek in northeastern Kansas will surge roughly 18 feet on Thursday as heavy rain batters the region.
At its peak, the creek is forecast to reach 20 feet, which is just shy of the level where it nearly surrounds the now-closed Easton grade school.
Why It Matters
The flood warning comes as heavy rain has battered parts of the U.S. throughout the first half of July. Over the Independence Day weekend, torrential rain lashed Central Texas, causing deadly floods that killed more than 100 people. Dangerous floods also inundated parts of New Mexico, the Northeast, and the Mid-Atlantic
Flooding is the second-deadliest weather hazard in the U.S., behind extreme heat, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
What to Know
Early Thursday morning, the NWS office in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, which includes the forecast area for parts of northeastern Kansas, extended a flood warning for Stranger Creek in Easton, Kansas. The flooded creek will affect Atchison and Leavenworth counties.
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Stranger Creek began rising quickly at around 3 a.m. Thursday morning. As of 10 a.m. Eastern time, the river is at nearly 15 feet and still rising, according to water forecasts from the National Water Prediction Service.
The forecasts anticipate the river will peak at around 20 feet by 8 p.m. on Thursday, which is in the moderate flood stage.
The National Water Prediction Service describes moderate flood stage as “some inundation of structures and roads near stream, evacuations of people and/or transfer of property to higher elevations.”
For Stranger Creek, at 20 feet, “all roads out of Easton except for highway 192 west
of 231st street in Easton are closed,” the flood warning said.
At this level, water also covers Millwood Road 3 miles north of Easton, where the water is 6 inches deep across the eastbound lane.
If the creek rises another 1.5 feet, further impacts are expected, including the near-surrounding of the former Easton grade school.
“At 21.5 feet, Most of Easton east of 231st Street floods. A campground in Easton floods. Several homes experience water on the first floor,” the flood warning said. “Water nearly surrounds but does not enter the former Easton grade school.”
According to Legends of Kansas, the “old Easton Grade School is a one-story pink brick building with metal trim and an overhang over the west façade. It has glass block windows on the west façade, a concrete addition on the south, and a wood addition on the north. The foundation was damaged in the 1993 flood, and the school closed. It is privately owned today. Located at 120 N. 1st Street, it is mainly obscured by trees.”
NWS service hydrologist Scott Watson told Newsweek that the NWS is “more confident” that the creek will stay below the level of 21.5 feet, although the flood information is included as a precaution.
He added that there won’t be any renewed rises of the creek after it crests overnight.
“It does get into moderate flood quite often,” he said. “This is a site that typically floods.”
What People Are Saying
NWS Pleasant Hill in a flood warning: “Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas.”
NWS Pleasant Hill in a hazardous weather outlook: “Areas of heavy rain early this morning. Several inches of rain possible from the KC area eastward along and south of Highway 36. Flash flooding will continue to be a threat through the
morning hours. Rain may continue into the afternoon south of Highway 50.”
What Happens Next
National Water Prediction Service forecasts anticipate the river will peak at around 8 p.m. Thursday. Water levels are then expected to fall below flood stage by Friday morning. However, the levels will remain in action stage, in which XXX, until Friday night.