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South Topeka Oakland Unit Location
City, County, and State of the levee system. Determined by the levee alignment location not the leveed area.
Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas
System ID
Unique identifier code for the levee system using 10 or 12 numbers in length.
3605000100
Operation and Maintenance Organization
Entity responsible for day-to-day management of the levee.
City of Topeka, Kansas
Floodplain Management
Entities responsible for regulating activities that occur in areas prone to flooding.
FEMA Region 7
Oversight Organization
Entity responsible for oversight of the levee and ensuring it is maintained.
USACE - Kansas City District
Last Assesment Date Last Risk Assessment or Formal Inspection.
3/6/2018
Data Last Updated Date any of this information for the system has been updated.
8/11/2022
Levee Length
Combine length of all the levee system features including the embankments, floodwalls, closures where they exist for this system.
12.36 Miles Average Levee Height
The average height of the levee system. The levee profile viewer on the mapping window will show the actual levee height values for the length of the levee if available.
13 Feet Year Levee Constructed Year levee system was fully completed as a flood reduction project.
1939 Summary
General text description of the levee system with a summary of why the levee is there, and the benefits it provides.
The South Topeka Oakland levee system reduces the occurrence of flooding for approximately 3,581 acres of Kansas River floodplain in Topeka, Kansas. The levee system includes 0.4 miles of floodwall and 11.8 miles of earthen levee along the Kansas River and Shunganunga Creek. The levee was designed and constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Construction on the levee began in 1938 and was completed after several modifications in 1971. After construction, USACE turned over the operation and maintenance to the local sponsor, the City of Topeka, KS.
Performance & Condition
General text description of the historical and anticipated performance of the levee, the people and property benefitting from the levee and who may be at risk of flooding, and actions to address areas of concern.
USACE evaluates risk as a combination of the flood hazard frequency, the anticipated levee performance, and the potential consequences. USACE completed a screening level risk assessment on this levee system in 2013. The 2013 levee screening identified overtopping as the main risk driver. The likelihood of a flood overtopping this levee in any given year has been estimated as 0.5%, or a one chance in 200. Flooding of the levee could lead to flood depths of at least 16 feet, which could result in life loss and economic consequences. It is expected that there would be significant warning time before the Kansas River would overtop the levee, however warning times for a levee breach prior to overtopping are often short. The levee faced record flooding in 1951 and 1993 when river levels reached over half the levee height.
The area behind the levee features significant residential, commercial, and local governmental development. The 2013 risk assessment estimated a leveed area population of approximately 12,275 people and a property values of approximately $1 billion. The levee faced record flooding in 1951 and 1993 when river levels reached over half the levee height.
Flooding Hazard
Historic Loading by Percentage of Height
Representative loading associated with historical flood information as a percentage of the levee height or overtopping.
Representative loading associated with historical flood information as a percentage of the levee height or overtopping.
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