The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for most of southeast Kansas including Montgomery and surrounding counties.  But there seems to be some confusion concerning forecasted river levels at the Verdigris River in Independence. 

Earlier this afternoon a press release was issued by the Independence Emergency Management Director David Cowan stating that the river level at Independence was projected 37.9 feet by Wednesday evening.  Flood stage at Independence is 30 feet.  The statement said that at 37.9 feet there would be flooding in some areas of Independence.  However a service hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Wichita, Janet Salazar says the river in Independence will actually crest more than 7 feet less at 30.3 feet.

In Coffeyville, Public Works Director Chuck Shively says the Verdigris is forecasted to crest at 18 feet which would cause only mild flooding of some farmland outside city limits.  The 18 feet stated by Shively is the same forecasted by the National Weather Service.