KANSAS CITY - On Wednesday morning, following flooding in south-central Kansas, El Dorado Lake is full, and its floodgates in Butler County remained closed. The Tulsa Corps of Engineers says this is because of high water levels downstream near Winfield and Arkansas City, which have not yet crested.
The El Dorado flood pool was 56% full Wednesday morning, and the Tulsa Corps of Engineers expects it to peak at 73%, and more rain is forecast for Thursday.
If the flood pool approaches 100%, the floodgates will need to be opened, which could result in flooding in areas downstream of El Dorado Lake.
The floodgates at El Dorado Lake will open once areas downstream have crested.
During Tuesday's downpour, the rainfall caused the Walnut River to overflow in Butler County, flooding several streets in El Dorado, and sending people scrambling for safety.
Officials warn the soil in the area is saturated, and even an inch or two of rainfall could lead to more localized flooding.