Flood Control

Flood Control inspects, maintains and repairs the City’s flood control levee. Additionally, the work group oversees emergency response for high water events. Staff consists of one foreman, two maintenance workers, and one seasonal employee. Staff maintains 21 miles of levee, including two pumping plants, 25 structures, nine sandbag gaps and numerous inlet and outlet channels. They regularly inspect the levee including its slopes, driving surface, gates, pumps and related equipment. They also inspect seven storm water detention ponds within various residential areas throughout Salina. Five of these ponds are mowed and maintained by Flood Control personnel, as well as two ponds by others.

History of Flood Protection Levee

The flood of 1951 affected about 50% of Salina’s residential areas. More than 3,000 residences, 122 businesses, two schools and three churches were affected by the flood. Approximately 13,500 people were evacuated. In the years prior to 1951, Salina experienced 40-50 high water events, including five major floods. The flood of 1951 led to the construction of the City’s present levee, which was completed in 1961.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designed the levee to protect the City from twice the volume of flood water that occurred in 1951. The cost was in excess of $6 million with approximately $2.3 million in local funds. The project included approximately 17.4 miles of levee construction, 12.2 miles of channel change, 12 bridge replacements and thousands of acres of land involved in right of way easements. Before 1930, 4.7 miles of levee had been constructed with local funds along the east side of Dry Creek, southwest of Crawford Street. Approximately 3.6 miles of this levee are still used, bringing the total levee maintained to 21.0 miles.

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