This year, when it rains, it pours.
Kansas City Water Services Department says there are 65 spots they know will flood almost every time.
One of those is on Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard near Elmwood Avenue.
To firefighters, the location spot and the immediate area are very familiar.
Crews have done a number of high water rescues.
As of early this summer, here’s how many times they’ve responded:
- Blue Pkwy / Cleveland Ave ---- 23-Dec-12
- E 49th St / Elmwood Ave ---- 10-Oct-13
- E Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd E / Elmwood Ave ---- 07-Jul-14
- Elmwood Ave / E Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd E ---- 06-Aug-14
- Brighton Ave / Blue Pkwy E ---- 03-Oct-14
- E Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd E / Elmwood Ave ---- 13-Apr-15
- E Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd E / Elmwood Ave ---- 17-May-15
- E Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd E / Cleveland Ave ---- 24-May-15
- Blue Parkway / Kensington Ave ---- 03-Jun-15
Source: KCFD
A sign near the intersection has gone up recently warning people of the dangerous flooding.
“Once you get into that and you realize your car can be carried away, it’s pretty scary,” said Diane Pacheco, who was rescued.
The culprit to blame in each situation is a 72-inch drainage pipe that cuts through a 336-acre watershed that spills into Brush Creek.
“When it rains, it has to go to somewhere,” said Terry Leeds, the director of the Kansas City Water Services Department.
But when there’s so much rain in a short amount of time, the drainage system can’t handle it and the debris it collects over time doesn’t help.
The Parks and Recreation Department, who oversees the drain, says it’s checked every time after a major storm.
"It had been grown up in that area with vegetation so forth, sometime previous to that, because from what was cleaned out in September, that vegetation had been removed,” said Travis Kiefer, an Assistant Director with the Parks and Recreation Department.
He says no matter what they do, the problem will continue.
The city has known about it since 2008.
“That pipe is small for that drainage area and in part of that study, it was recommended that pipe be increased,” Kiefer said.
The solution is worth $1 million.
“Stormwater is one of those infrastructure items that people don't want to fund until something happens out of sight, out of mind,” Leeds said.
To get that money, residents in Kansas City would have to submit an application through the Public Improvements Advisory Committee
But even then, there's no guarantee of avoiding heavy flooding.
“You're never going to eliminate flooding. You're always going to have it," Leeds said. "You're going to have a bigger storm than what your system can handle."
The important thing a driver who spots high water can do is call 911.
It helps police put barriers up to prevent people from getting into a dangerous situation in the first place.
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Andres Gutierrez can be reached at andres.gutierrez@kshb.com.
