Photo By Lawrence Brooks | Kansas City District Levee Program Manager, Zachary Young, taking pictures of erosion...... read more read more
The Topeka, Kansas Flood Risk Reduction Project was first authorized by https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16021coll4/id/257, following decades of destructive flooding along the Kansas River that crippled northeast Kansas in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
In the aftermath of the devastating 1951 flood, Congress was prompted to expand to the Topeka Flood Protection Project in 1954, and the Soldier Creek Diversion Unit was constructed between 1957 and 1961.
According to geotechnical engineer James Van Acker, in addition to levees, the project included construction of a new 7.8-mile diversion channel designed to reduce flood risk along Soldier Creek, a tributary of the Kansas River.
"This project was built because the region learned hard lessons from flooding," he said. "Its history is tied directly to the floods that shaped northeast Kansas."
Nearly 70 years after construction began on the Soldier Creek Diversion Unit on an overcast and soggy day in May, engineers from the district — led by Levee Safety Program Manager Zachary Young — walked miles of levees, channels and drainage structures to ensure the flood risk reduction system protecting portions of Topeka remains ready for the next high-water event.
"These inspections are about staying ahead of problems," he said. "A levee system can look fine from a distance, but the details matter."
The inspection is part of USACE’s Levee Safety Program, which conducts formal inspections every five years to evaluate the condition of federal levee systems and provide local sponsors with recommendations that help guide maintenance and future investments.
Today, the project is divided into eight separate levee systems because of the numerous tributaries that feed Soldier Creek. Six systems lie on the left bank and two on the right bank, each requiring its own inspection and evaluation.
Unlike many levee projects, Soldier Creek consists of more than earthen embankments. Inspectors evaluate diversion channels, stability berms, drainage structures, bridge crossings, interceptor ditches, grouted gutters and erosion protection features, Young said.
"Every part of the project has a job to do. If one piece is not functioning properly, it can affect the performance of the whole project," he said.
During the multi-day inspection, a multidisciplinary team of geotechnical engineers, geologists, hydrologic engineers and structural engineers assessed every aspect of the levee system.
“We examined conditions related to slope stability, erosion protection, animal burrows, vegetation management and drainage structures, among other features,” Young said.
Importance of partnership
The effort to maintain a levee represents the close partnership between USACE and the North Topeka Drainage District, which operates and maintains the system daily.
"This is a partnership that works because both sides stay engaged," Young said. "The drainage district knows the system better than anyone, and we rely on that local knowledge."
This means communication between the two organizations remains constant, with at least weekly talks and often several times each week when issues arise — emphasizing that successful flood risk management depends on collaboration and a strong sense of shared responsibility.
"Communication is key, [so] the relationship is reciprocal, and the North Topeka Drainage District has been a very proactive sponsor,” Young said.
Back in 2005, repeated thunderstorms dropped nearly a foot of rain in some locations, causing Soldier Creek to reach a record stage of 34.67 feet, surpassing the previous record of 33.06 feet established during the historic 1951 floods.
Many of the leveed areas are primarily agricultural land and commercial, and the onslaught of rain caused overtopping on several levees along Soldier Creek, however, none failed. But Soldier Creek Left Bank five guards one of the most heavily populated areas, safeguarding approximately 334 residents and an estimated $20 million in property per the National Levee Database.
Here, the levee was never overtopped, and according to Van Acker, this is a pertinent example of the Soldier Creek system proving its value to the region.
“The systems performed as designed before water reached critical elevations, preventing breaches, limiting damage and saving lives,” he said.
Why maintenance matters
Local sponsors receive recommendations rather than mandates when the inspection period concludes. Van Acker said this is a multi-level process.
“We try to get the report written in three weeks to allow time for review from the levee sponsor and the USACE quality control team to conduct an out brief then route for signature to the levee safety officer,” he said. “So, we want to have the report in the sponsor’s hand in no more than 90 days.”
Since some levee sponsors and drainage districts are in or adjacent to rural communities, they may have limited resources, so there is no prescribed timeline for repairs. This leeway allows communities to make risk-informed decisions about where to invest when needed.
Maintaining levee systems also helps ensure communities remain eligible for federal assistance through Public Law 84-99, a policy that allows USACE to repair eligible flood damage at no cost to sponsors.
However, Young said damage linked to known operations and maintenance deficiencies may not qualify for federal repairs, making routine maintenance especially important.
"That is why these inspections matter so much. They help local sponsors understand where the system is strong and where attention is needed before a problem becomes an emergency," he said.
Following the field inspection, the engineering team aims to provide a completed report to the sponsor within 90 days — a document that undergoes both sponsor review and internal quality control before being finalized.
Luckily, no major deficiencies were identified during the recent inspection.
"For a system this old, that is a credit to the people who care for it every day," Young said. "Good maintenance does not happen by accident."
For the district, these periodic inspections represent more than a regulatory requirement. They provide communities with critical information that supports public safety, helps maintain access to flood insurance and disaster assistance programs and ensures aging infrastructure continues reducing risk to lives and property throughout the Heartland.
Built in response to some of Kansas' worst floods, the Soldier Creek levee system continues to stand silent watch over communities in and around Topeka. Through regular inspections and strong partnerships with local sponsors, the district is helping ensure the system performs as designed when the next flood season arrives.
"At the end of the day, our job is to make sure this system is ready when people need it most," Young said.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2026 16:59 |
| Story ID: | 568607 |
| Location: | TOPEKA, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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