Kansas High Water Sign Initiative

This website will host photos of historical flooding in the communities that were approved for a highwater mark sign. Find a community on this list and open the link to see more information or photos of flooding for that specific community. We hope you’ll have an opportunity to view one of these signs in your area.

Marion

Historical Flooding Sign in Marion:

Marion_HighWaterSign

Photos of Historic Floods:

Flooding in the 200 block of Main Street, 1903

1903, 200 Block of Main St., Left to Right
#1 – Country Lakes Café Building
#2 – Marvin’s Barber Shop
#3 – Flint Hills Gold
#4 - Cazdore’s Mexican restaurant
#5 – The tallest two store building pictured burned. Replaced with a single story structure in 1960’s. Home to Case & Son Insurance (longest running business in town 150 years) & Security First Title Company (Hannaford Title).

1903 Flood

County Courthouse

Kansas Department of Agriculture/Division of Water Resources and the US Army Corps of Engineers Silver Jackets in working with Kansas State Historical Society, Kansas Division of Emergency Management and local communities worked together on a special project to install signs in communities across Kansas. These signs share information about historical flooding and highwater marks. Signs are in public places such as city parks.

These signs serve several purposes. They are reminders that floods can and do happen. The depth of water indicated on some of these signs will help people to better understand their risks. There are signs in areas behind levees. Levees may reduce flood risk but do not eliminate it. Driving in to water is the main cause of flood related deaths in Kansas. Each sign has a flood safety message about not driving in to water.