The prospects for any significant infrastructure improvements along the Kentucky River to help prevent future flooding in hard hit communities in eastern Kentucky are not particularly promising. Kentucky River Authority Director David Hamilton says his organization is typically more involved during drought periods when water supply is the issue.
While many locks and dams in place along the Kentucky River are non-functioning, Hamilton said, even if they were, that wouldn’t provide any help to these flood-stricken areas. “If you were to go out there where last week you would have seen the lock and dam, to go out there today you wouldn’t even know that there was a structure there in the River. River is just sipping, like I said, 30 feet above it right now. So, there’s nothing control-wise that you could add to those structures that would help in a situation like this,” said Hamilton.
Outside of the floodwall constructed in Frankfort in the mid 1990’s, Hamilton said no other similar large infrastructure projects have been undertaken up-river. And he admits such big projects are not likely anytime soon, but Hamilton said the federal Army Corps of Engineers and Federal Emergency Management Agency could certainly be called upon to look into current flooding.
Here's more with Kentucky River Authority Director David Hamilton:
If you appreciate access to this important content during this global pandemic, please help us continue to provide public service journalism and information to Central and Eastern Kentucky communities. Please make your contribution to WEKU today.
