Flood in Franklin County, Kansas

Rain ends but flooding continues into the new month. Many roads are flooded. Emergency manager reports that up to 25 homes have been evacuated with 15 homes flooded in Lane. Homes are evacuated on the west and east sides of Ottawa due to approaching floodwaters. Flood gates closed in downtown Ottawa. Highway K68 bridge crossing the Marais des Cygnes west of Ottawa has 5 feet of water over the bridge. An indirect fatality occurred nearly two weeks later (on the 15th) when a motorist was thrown from his vehicle 4 miles east of Pomona after hitting a hole in the road caused by flood waters earlier in the month. A state report said that flood waters destroyed five houses in the county with 20 receiving major damage, 23 had minor damage and 21 were affected by not considered damaged.

The upper level low that brought persistent heavy rain during late June had moved out on the 1st with rain ending. However, flooding continued for a couple of days early in the month. Record flooding continued along the Pottawatomie Creek at both Scipio and Lane...and at Quenemo and Pomona along the Marais des Cygnes. The flooding near Scipio appeared to be the worst since the 1850's. The flood gates in Ottawa remained closed early in the month to protect the city. This is the worst flooding on the Marais des Cygnes near Ottawa since 1951. Coffey, Franklin, Osage and Anderson counties are declared local, state and national disaster areas...and become eligible for FEMA funds.