Johnson County Public Works staff on Jan. 9 asked the Board of County Commissioners to authorize a contract with Stantec to develop a two-dimensional floodplain model for the Captain and Kill Creek watershed at a total cost not to exceed $1,151,989.

Jacob Bazian, Public Works, said the watershed model covers the cities of Gardner, DeSoto and unincorporated Johnson County and supports Federal Emergency Management Agency efforts to expand 2-D modeling nationwide. Bazian said the county’s share of the contract would be $198,819, with the remainder paid through a FEMA grant and funds previously adopted in the 2025 stormwater management program expenditure budget. The board previously accepted the FEMA grant and the program expenditures at the Oct. 10, 2024 business session, Bazian told commissioners.

Bazian said Stantec will deliver a calibrated 2-D model and related products including a probabilistic flood-risk assessment, identification and refinement of mitigation needs, and survey work on county flood-warning (storm watch) gauges to support model calibration. He said representatives from the watershed communities and other stakeholders will be invited to progress meetings and will have opportunities to review and comment.

Bazian also said ongoing 2-D modeling work has been completed or is nearing completion for watershed 1 (Turkey and Brush Creek) and watershed 2 (Indian and Tomahawk Creek); the remaining county watersheds are expected to be modeled within two to five years depending on funding.

Stantec was the top-ranked firm from four interviewed firms, Bazian said. The item was presented at the Jan. 9 agenda review for consideration on the Jan. 16 business session; no formal board vote was taken at the Jan. 9 meeting.