Bank stabilization repair one of many approved October projects

Construction on the Ninnescah Riverbank in Summer 2017 was the first phase of this erosion prevention project. 

The second phase of an emergency repair project near the Ninnescah River in Sumner County was one of more than 50 project bids approved in the Oct. 17 letting. This emergency repair project will help protect the area from flooding.

In 1986, a project was designed to reconstruct the Ninnescah riverbank to help reduce erosion in this area. The project included the installation of 15 steel pile jetties to assist with erosion prevention. Of the 15 jetties installed, six of them were later found to be slanted and all of them showed significant corrosion. In fact, comparing satellite pictures from 2002 and 2017, demonstrates the bank was still displaying signs of erosion even though jetties were in place.  

In September 2016 massive rainfall amounts caused the Ninnescah River to swell and flood U.S. 81 and K-55. KDOT saw a need to address this area. In mid-2017, the first emergency repair phase took place. That project focused on the area right along the highway where the highest chance of a slide could take place if another significant flood were to happen. Rock was placed to armor the toe of the slope, followed by a bed, filter and an additional stone layer to reconstruct and armor the bank.

The second phase of the emergency repair will focus on the remaining jetties that are not immediately adjacent to the highway. This phase will also include a significant amount of stone to be placed to armor the toe of the slope. Instead of just relying solely on rock, KDOT will plant willow trees, which will create root systems to give the slope a living protection against erosion.

Dondlinger & Sons Construction Co., INC., of Wichita is the contractor working on the $879,046.25 project.

To see the various stages of this project, click here.

To read more about the other approved projects, click here.