Thunderstorms, some heavy during the morning hours, then skies turning partly cloudy during the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..
A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Updated: September 22, 2023 @ 5:07 am
Q: What has changed in information gathering and the emergency notification process since the 1993 flood?
A: Technology and new tools to collect data along Tuttle Creek Lake and surrounding rivers is the biggest change, Riley County Emergency Management Director Pat Collins said last week at an informational meeting about the Tuttle Creek Lake flooding.
Collins said local officials have more access to information like topography, historic flooding maps, geographical data analysis, river gauges and more. This has allowed officials to constantly check information from these sources.
It’s a stark contrast from the last big flood in town in 1993, when U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials were forced to open the dam’s emergency spillway gates, causing an uncontrolled release of water and flooding parts of Manhattan. Collins said the area was caught by surprise during that time and had basic measuring tools to watch water levels.
“We were out putting yard sticks in ditches to figure out if water was going to rise or fall,” Collins said. “We have a lot more tools now and I think we can do a better job than ‘93.”
Social media and the internet has also revolutionized how quickly and how much information can be conveyed to people.
Area residents can receive immediate and direct emergency notifications through email, text, call and more through the Everbridge system at rileycountyks.gov/alerts.
County, city and emergency officials have created a Twitter and Facebook account called Manhattan Flood Updates that releases real-time information on things like water levels at the lake and nearby rivers, area closings, resources and more.
The city of Manhattan site also shows unofficial models of possible flood scenarios using a river analysis system. Wood Environmental and Infrastructure Inc. created models using 42 different flooding scenarios based on seven different releases from the dam. This interactive map and other current flood-related information can be found at cityofmhk/2953/Flood-Information.
All of these updates, Collins said, has led to better-informed decisions and flood preparedness.
“I think the planning staff is far more educated on the lake and flooding that we’ve had,” Collins said. “I think we can do a lot better job.”
To submit a question, send by email to questions@themercury.com, or by regular mail to Questions, P.O. Box 787 Manhattan, KS 66505.
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