Unified Government calls flooding meeting after washout in Argentine neighborhood
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - Neighborhoods in Kansas City, Kansas, are still dealing with the aftermath of Monday’s severe storms. Government leaders say they’re getting to the bottom of why neighborhoods like the Argentine community were hit especially hard.
Residents say they’re used to seeing floods every time it rains.
“I’m used to it. It gets crazy. It floods a lot,” said Rason Williams, a longtime KCK resident. “The floods get crazy around here. It’s been crazy for years. Just living here and you know, good thing nothing bad has happened to me or a lot of people I know.”
City officials say the volume of rain was greater than expected, causing problems even in areas that had recently undergone infrastructure improvements. Neighborhoods like Argentine and Armourdale were among the hardest hit.
“I was born and raised down in Argentine and know the flooding that’s been down there,” said KCK public works environmental director Jeff Miles, “We’re trying to do everything we can to change that curve.”
The Unified Government is holding a public meeting for the Argentine neighborhood to listen and exchange information on May 22 at 5:30 p.m. at the Amayo Community Center at 2810 Metropolitan Ave, Kansas City, KS.
In 2023, enhancements to century-old pump stations were completed as part of the KC Levees Project. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County replaced the Argentine Main and Strong Avenue Pump Stations and made repairs to the Turner Avenue Pump Station along the Argentine Levee Unit. They also made repairs to seven existing pump stations in the Armourdale Levee Unit. Both projects combined were contracted at roughly $47.5 million, according to the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
City officials confirmed those pump stations were tested and operating during the storm, but said they are now reviewing ways to further improve the system.
“We just do a debrief, almost like, say if you were playing football or something,” said Miles, “You want to look at what you did great and areas of improvement. Not only for us, but for the community. What could the community do in these kinds of scenarios?”
Miles said his crews are checking all pump stations to ensure they are clear and flowing properly. They are actively assessing the most heavily impacted areas and developing plans to mitigate future flooding.
He also urged residents to help prevent future issues by clearing debris from their yards that could potentially clog storm drains.
Some KCK residents say they’ve gotten used to driving through floodwaters.
“This is expected,” said David Ferry, another KCK resident. “One year, I was driving a truck, and it was so bad that everyone hit their brakes and they ended up in a ditch.”
Third District Commissioner Christian Ramirez addressed the situation in a statement to KCTV5:
“I want to thank all the residents who have reached out to share updates and concerns. I will be working diligently with our Environmental Services Department to organize a community meeting soon, outlining the flooding causes and helping community understand how and why this unprecedented incident occurred.”
Miles added that engineers are reviewing data to see what kind of short-term fixes and long-term solutions are possible.
“How much rain did we get in that short a time period, just mathematically what fits down the stormwater pipe?” he said. “What can we do as far as engineering, ditching, any other kind of ways to get the water to escape quicker?”
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County says details of the community meeting are being confirmed.
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