(Kansas City, Mo.) – Protecting businesses and homes along Southwest Boulevard from flooding took another step forward. On December 15th, local and federal leaders celebrated the start of the final phase of the Turkey Creek Flood Control Project.
“Turkey Creek flows through Kansas to the Kansas River but when heavy rains came, the flood waters overflowed its banks and would flow down Southwest Boulevard flooding businesses and residences of Kansas City, Missouri, said Terry Leeds, Director of KC Water. “So, we’re very pleased this morning to be kicking off the final project for the Turkey Creek flood control project.”
The project takes the hillside drainage from 31st Street and Roanoke Boulevard as well as drainage from Southwest Boulevard and directs it to Turkey Creek.
“It’s a great improvement for flood risk reduction along the area. And this last piece will significantly reduce any stormwater impact to those local businesses and residences,” said Craig Weltig, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
This couldn’t have happened without a strong partnership between Kansas City, the Unified Government, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“We’ve learned how to build strong partnerships across state lines that are effective and engage in problem solving on complex flooding problems and arrange the funding, the administration and real estate that it takes to put a project together pretty efficiently. And it’s been a real showcase partnership of multiple agencies and jurisdictions,” said John Grothaus, Chief of Planning for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering.
Mark Holland, Mayor of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS, praised the work done by all agencies.
“This has been a great partnership from day one. Obviously, Turkey Creek, the majority of it runs through Wyandotte County. And a lot of the cause was upstream in Johnson County and a lot of the negative impact was downstream in Jackson County. When we came together with the congressional delegation and with Kansas City, Missouri and partnered together we were able to come up with a regional solution. And though the bulk of the money has been invested in the channel in Kansas City, Kansas, it’s benefiting the whole region,” said Holland.
Officials, including United States Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Sly James and Kansas City, Missouri City Manager Troy Schulte, symbolized that reduction in flood risk by tossing away rubber boots that won’t be needed so often in this flood prone area.
For more information, please contact Brooke Givens, Media Relations Coordinator, at brooke.givens@kcmo.org or 816.513.0284.
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KC Water maintains and operates water treatment and distribution systems, stormwater management systems, and wastewater collection and treatment systems for residential and business customers in Kansas City and for wholesale customers in the Kansas City area. KC Water is primarily funded by fees charged to customers based on their use or impacts on the three utility systems.
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