LIVEFlood of '51, The -
"The Flood of '51" is a one-hour documentary reviewing the impact of the widespread flooding that occurred in Kansas in 1951. The program begins with a look at the conditions and events that led to the flood. Interviews with meteorologists and hydrologists from the National Weather Service plus interviews with flood victims will describe the extremely rainy conditions (which followed the drought of 1950) that led up to the flood. It also takes a brief look at previous floods in the state and discusses how both urban and rural development contributed to the severity of the flood. Part two examines the flooding that occurred prior to the "main event" of July 11-13. The flood of '51 was practically a state-wide event. Major flooding occurred in Hays (Big Creek), Ottawa (Marais de Cygnes River), Iola and Council Grove (Neosho River) along with many other locations. Interviews with flood victims such as Walt Butler of Ottawa provide personal accounts of the flooding and its aftermath. Part three deals with what most people tend to think of as "The Flood"--the flooding that occurred throughout the Kansas River Valley.Flood victims provide recollections of the flooding in Manhattan, Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City. Among those who share their memories are Harold Warswick and Lydia Porubsky, Howard Pine and Paul Penny of Lawrence and Jay Dillingham of Kansas City. Historians Bob Richmond and Roy Bird also provide their reflections on the flood. Part four considers the various impacts of the flood: loss of life; destruction of private property, both urban and rural; destruction of public property, including libraries, roads, railroads, sewage and water treatment facilities. After considering what it took to clean up the mess, the program moves on to address one of the most controversial impacts of the flood--the development of reservoirs, levies and other flood control measures. The last part looks at the future and reflects on the possibility of another flood of this magnitude. Representatives of the State Conservation Commission and the Corps of Engineers discuss the effectiveness of our flood control measures as they assess the possibilities of future flooding.
Recent and Upcoming Airings
11.37/9 1:00 am