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Atchison City closes trail, seeks Army Corps help after riverbank slips near Atchison Street
Summary
City crews closed a section of riverfront trail after about 100 feet of riverbank south of Atchison Street slipped into the river; officials say melting snow and heavy rain are suspected and the city has contacted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for an assessment.
Atchison City officials have closed a roughly 100-foot section of the riverfront trail south of Atchison Street after the bank settled and slipped into the river, City Manager Mark Westhoff said at a commission meeting. City crews placed barriers and asked the public not to cross them while staff assess bank stability.
The closure follows ice jams that formed upstream during a recent cold snap and a period of snowmelt and heavy rain. "We have also had about 100 feet of the riverbank south of Atchison Street that has settled and kind of slipped out into the river," Westhoff said, adding that crews marked the section and are monitoring conditions.
Westhoff said the city used auxiliary intake pumps on the river for a couple of days while ice jams affected river flows. He said the regular intake is back in use as temperatures warmed, but an ice jam upstream remains and officials are watching to see whether it causes further problems.
The commission was told the city is reaching out to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help assess whether a larger stability study is needed. "We are reaching out to the army corps of engineers to help us kind of assess how it's looking, see if we need to do a larger stability assessment of the bank there," Westhoff said.
City staff have not yet provided an estimated timeline for repairs or a cost projection; Westhoff said the cause is believed to be recent snowmelt and heavy rain but that bank stability can be unpredictable. Pedestrian access to the affected sidewalk and trail will remain restricted until the city completes its assessment and any necessary repairs.
The commission did not take a formal vote on repairs during the meeting. Staff said they will report back to the commission if further action or emergency remediation is required.
