KC Water and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are building a large replica of Indian Creek inside a warehouse. This model is being built to help engineers better understand how the water flows in Indian Creek and what causes it to flood. Water Resources Solutions is also assisting with the project.
“We already have computer models of the watershed to indicate what the flow is like. In 2017 we had the first flood of record followed by a second flood of record on Indian creek and during that flood, the flood did not behave as the computer model suggested it would,” said KC Water Stormwater Engineering Manager, Tom Kimes.
The 70 foot model will take approximately 4 more months to build. Crews have laid the wooden platform and will add the foam cut-out of the terrain piece by piece. Then they will add water to the model and watch what happens next.
It will help to identify hydraulic issues. Issues that show the way the water flows in the channel that a computer cannot predict.
When Indian Creek flooded in 2017, many buildings near 103rd and Wornall were badly damaged. The Old Coach’s Bar and Grill and all of the other shops in that strip were demolished in 2019 as part of KC Water’s efforts to turn that location into a greenspace and minimize flooding.
This is a 50/50 cost share project between KC Water and the Corps. Total cost of the project is $400,000.
For more information contact Heather Frierson, KC Water Media Relations Coordinator, at heather.frierson@kcmo.org 816-513-0280, cell 816-674-0211.
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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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