Brush Creek (Blue River tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brush Creek |
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Brush Creek flowing through Kansas City, Missouri
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Kansas City metropolitan rivers with Brush Creek in the middle
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas, Missouri |
| City | Kansas City |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | East Johnson County, Kansas, United States 741 ft (226 m) 38°59′04″N 094°39′34″W / 38.98444°N 94.65944°W |
| River mouth | Blue River Kansas City, Missouri, United States 222 ft (68 m) 39°02′20″N 094°31′14″W / 39.03889°N 94.52056°W |
| Length | 10.5 mi (16.9 km), East |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Blue River |
Brush Creek is a stream about 10.5-mile-long (16.9 km). It flows from Johnson County, Kansas, through Jackson County, Missouri. This creek is a branch of the Blue River. From there, its waters join the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River. This means Brush Creek is part of the huge Mississippi River watershed.
Brush Creek starts near West 80th Street and Lamar Avenue in Overland Park, Kansas. It then flows into the Blue River at Blue Banks Avenue and Hardesty Avenue in Kansas City.
Contents
History of Brush Creek
Brush Creek got its name because of the many bushes and plants that used to grow along its sides.
A Battleground in History
A very important event happened near Brush Creek. The Battle of Westport was fought on both sides of the creek. This was the biggest battle of the American Civil War that took place west of the Mississippi River.
Development Along the Creek
The famous Country Club Plaza is built right next to Brush Creek. Also, the large grassy area of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art stretches from the museum's steps down to the creek.
Flood Control Efforts
In the 1930s, people tried to stop Brush Creek from flooding. They paved parts of the creek with concrete. This project faced some problems because of how the concrete companies were chosen.
The Great Flood of 1977
In September 1977, there was a lot of rain. This caused Brush Creek to flood the Plaza with about 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) of water. Another nearby stream, Turkey Creek in Kansas, also flooded at the same time. This flood was very serious. Twenty-five people lost their lives, and the damage cost more than $66 million.
Brush Creek Today
The city of Kansas City, Missouri, has a special system for its water. It combines storm water (from rain) and sanitary sewer water (from homes). When it rains very hard, sometimes sewage can mix with the storm water. This can cause it to flow into local waterways like Brush Creek.
Because of this, you might see signs near Brush Creek that warn people not to touch the water after it rains. Some local people even call it "Flush Creek" because of this issue.
To fix this problem, Kansas City is working on a big project. They made a deal with the EPA. The city is spending $2.5 billion over 25 years to improve its sewer systems. This project aims to stop the sewage from overflowing into the creek.
