Jacobs Creek flood
The Jacobs Creek flood, also referred to as the Kansas Turnpike flash flood, was a flash flood of the Jacobs Creek that occurred on the night of August 30, 2003, southwest of Emporia, Kansas, on the Kansas Turnpike (Interstate 35). The deadly flash flood occurred on Labor Day weekend and killed six people, five inside of vehicles swept away by the floodwaters and one person who was attempting to rescue those trapped. August 30, 2003 flood From 7:00 to 8:00 pm, a slow-moving, low-topped storm with very heavy rainfall rates developed over central Kansas, remaining over eastern Chase and western Lyon counties for several hours. The rain rate over the headwaters of Jacobs Creek is estimated to be several inches per hour with almost of estimated total rainfall by 8:00 pm. At 8:30 pm, the culvert carrying Jacobs Creek reached capacity and the flowing water began to accumulate behind the elevated embankment of the Kansas Turnpike near milepost 116. Water began flowing over the northbound lanes of the highway shortly after. At 9:00 pm, the accumulating water from Jacobs Creek began flowing over the northbound lanes of the highway, pooling against the concrete dividers that separated the north- and southbound