The Sedgwick County Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved an agreement to share the costs of flood control efforts along the Calfskin Creek in west Wichita.
This comes a day after the city of Wichita approved the plan, which calls for two dry detention dams to be constructed. The first would be located near 13th Street North and 167th Street West, while the other would be along 135th Street West, between Pawnee and 31st Street South.
During the 1998 Halloween flooding event, Commissioner David Dennis’ home was surrounded by water. He said the project would be beneficial by eliminating street flooding and taking buildings out of the floodplain.
The cost of the project is $40 million. The application for federal funds is due by the end of the year. If approved next summer, the grant would cover $30 million of the project, with the city and country each providing $5 million. Work should be completed by 2025 or 2026.