Hartford — There are more questions than answers about a new massive logjam near the Hartford access ramp east of Hartford in Coffey County on the Neosho River.
Officials have been told that the jam was caused by a cottonwood tree that is lodged under the bridge. The tree won’t allow any other logs to pass under the bridge, creating a large logjam that is visible from the deck of the bridge and from the roadway east of Hartford.
Rick Frevert, Lyon County Emergency Management director, said he heard of the logjam Monday morning and heard that the jam began to form over the weekend.
“It’s gotten worse since,” Frevert.
The jam is in Coffey County, but could affect the Hartford levee, the flow of the river and the bridge. The property belongs to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the county is working with that agency to see what can be done.
Lyon County Flood Plain Manager Samuel Seeley said he has contacted the Corps of Engineers and Frevert has contacted Coffey County Emergency Management. Seeley said until the flood water goes down, there are more questions than answers.
“Until the water goes down we won’t know what to do,” Seeley said. “Right now there are a lot of questions to be answered. Once the water goes down, it will be easier to answer those questions.”