Flooding in 1993 damaged several hundred residences in the Manhattan area, with damages totaling an estimated $1,380,000.

Outflows of 60,000 cfs from the lake in the Big Blue River, combined with flooding on the Kansas River, caused the Big Blue River to encroach dangerously close to the top of the levee.

The reconnaissance study completed in 2004 confirmed city concern as well as observations from the 1993 flood indicating the levee system does not provide the design level of protection on the Big Blue River.
The Study will evaluate the feasibility of modification to the levee to restore an acceptable level of reliability.