1. CIMCITY COMMISSION INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
October 7, 2019
ADMINISTRATIVE BRIEF FROM JIM L. KOWACH, P.E. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
As a result of the 1951 flood, many people know the city of Salina worked closely with the US Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) to design safeguards to prevent such catastrophic flooding in the city of Salina in the future. Plans were drawn
up in 1957 and construction soon followed. As a result of this collaboration, several old ox-bows for the river were
straightened or cut off and an extensive levee system around Salina was constructed. An ox-bow is a term used for a
wide loop in the river as it meanders back and forth acr oss relatively flat ground. A river ox-bow is usually created
during high water when erosion actually cuts a new channel between the two closest points in the loop. The resulting
loop in the old river bed is commonly called an ox-bow. Some sample photos of typical ox-bows are shown b elow:
Typical river ox-bow Agricultural crossing on ox-bow Old Smoky Hill River Channel
The Old Smoky Hill River channel in Salina is one of these ox-bows. This large ox-bow is over 7 miles long and begins out
by Bill Burke Park along East Crawford Street then runs though Kenwood Park, Oakdale Park, close to downtown Salina
and then back east toward Lakewood Park. A large diversion channel was excavated from near East Ir on Avenue
adjacent to Indian Rock Park then north to North Street to create this large ox-bow. The city now is once again working
with the USACE. This time it is to improve the old river channel by removing sediments, establishing habitat, improving
water quality, and enhancing recreation al opportunities along the old river channel.
What a lot on people may NOT know is that the city also worked with property owners on the Smoky Hill River
downstream of the City of Salina to make improvements and to keep the Smoky Hill River flowing as efficiently as
possible. As a result, several ox-bows east of Salina were also straightened out to try to reduce backwater into the city.
Progress update:
ЋЉЊВ ŷğƭ ĬĻĻƓ ğ ǝĻƩǤ ǞĻƷ ǤĻğƩ͵ In fact, it is one
experiencing major flooding. Due to the wet year, the city experienced quite a few potholes this spring, and
underground utility patches, as well as, fell behind on scheduled mowing and drainage detention pond maintenance.
Routine street maintenance is now catching up on scheduled work. Street contract construction projects for sealing and
overlaying streets got off to a slow start, but are in full swing now as we wind down the summer. The downtown
streetscape project is nearing completion with a due date of November 15, 2019. Before you know it, we will be starting
fall leaf collection and getting our snow plows ready for action.