The City of Wichita says storms experienced last weekend dropped more than seven inches of rain in many places. While flooding did occur, the city's water supplies are at comfortable levels.
City officials report that the Cheney Reservoir, which the city relies on for much of its water supply, is so full that it's spilling out into flood pools. It’s quite the contrast to a few years ago, when the city was considering water-use restrictions as the reservoir was nearly half empty.
The city will continue to pull heavily from Cheney before the water is lost to evaporation, which can occur quickly with temperatures reaching 100 degrees or more. Public Works and Utilities Director Alan King says this will allow underground aquifers to recharge.
“Add to that, water use is down for this time of the year with all the rainfall," King says. "Fewer people are using irrigation to keep their lawns green. So we’re actually reduced in the amount of water sales that we have.”
King also says that the city’s stormwater system has been performing well. Strong storms did, however, damage the roofs of a number of municipal buildings, such as Century II, police and fire stations, and the Linwood Park greenhouse.
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