review the material found here - JoCo Serve

Table 3.30 Top 10 Counties – Development and Populations Protected by Levees
Development
Population
Mitigation
Planning
Region
County
Total
Development
in Levee
Protected
Areas
Mitigation
Planning
Region
County
Population
G Sedgwick $18,180,862 G Sedgwick 140,247
G Reno $5,090,378 G Reno 45,171
F Saline $4,621,575 F Saline 41,580
L Wyandotte $2,720,200 J Shawnee 19,047
J Shawnee $2,278,254 E Barton 16,751
E Barton $1,848,122 G Cowley 12,904
G Cowley $1,441,248 B Ellis 9,603
B Ellis $1,164,170 D Ford 4,728
I Riley $521,874 L Wyandotte 3,936
F Dickinson $438,595 F Dickinson 3,543
Source: State Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2013
Summary
Region L has low, significant and high hazard dams within its borders, and numerous accredited
and unaccredited levees. The levees provide protection to $2,729,983 in property with a 20%
loss estimate of $545,997, and approximately 4000 individuals. A levee failure could be
catastrophic for the planning area, however, the probability of this happening is unlikely. There
have been no dam failures within the planning area.
Local Mitigation Concerns
• Region L has its borders on the Missouri River and the Kansas River, which are prone to
flooding during high precipitation events. As with the floods of 2011, even states as far
north as Montana can add to this problem when they have record snow or rainfall, even
when Kansas is in a drought. Ensuring that the levees and dams maintain their
structural integrity to protect against breeches, overtopping, and failure continues to be a
main priority.
• Johnson and Leavenworth County have grown since the census of 2000 was taken and
with that population growth is the critical area of housing growth, and ensuring that the
floodplains remain in a green zone as construction on new housing ensues.
• While Wyandotte County has not seen the growth of Johnson and Leavenworth
Counties, it does have a high industrial and commercial footprint. Mitigating against
commercial loss can be an expensive endeavor for the county and its residents.
• The USACE maintains many levee’s in and around the planning area, however, there
are also levees that are not federally maintained, so local jurisdictions or private property
3.51