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Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
As sun shines bright, Louisville and other Kentucky communities wait for floods to recede
The rain is gone. The water isn't. Louisville and much of Kentucky saw the sun for the first time in several days Monday, as storms that had rolled through the region throughout the weekend and last week have finally passed. But those heavy rains left a swollen Ohio River in Louisville and varying degrees of flooding around much of the state, including hard-hit Frankfort. And as more stormwater rolls into the region from waterways to our east, the high water is likely here to stay for some time. According to the National Water Prediction Service, the Ohio River is expected to crest at 37 feet at the upper portion of the McAlpine Locks and Dam near the Falls of the Ohio, similar to the water levels reached in the 2018 floods. The lower portion of the dam is expected to crest at 68.5 feet, which could pose threats to west and southwest Louisville, officials added. Much of River Road was underwater by Sunday, including businesses around the historic Louisville Water Tower, where Louisville EMS said more than 60 people were evacuated Monday from a nearby Candlewood Suites Hotel, and further east toward Harrods Creek and Wolf Pen Branch. Waters are expected to crest in the area Wednesday, forecasters have projected, with a likelihood it could be among the 10 highest floods in city history. Jefferson County Public Schools and the University of Louisville each held classes online Monday. The annual Thunder Over Louisville air show and fireworks showcase, originally scheduled for this Saturday, was already canceled over the weekend as a precaution. Other parts of the state, meanwhile, are dealing with issues of their own. The Kentucky River in Frankfort appeared to have crested as of Monday morning, but Kentucky's capital city was rocked by the waters. Residents were asked to stay home and conserve water if possible as many local businesses were swamped, including the Buffalo Trace Distillery, which expects to remain closed until Thursday at the earliest. Eyes in the region were also watching the Dix Dam closely. Ten of the spill gates on the dam between Mercer and Garrard counties were opened as part of a planned release Sunday, according to LG&E and KU, but a miscommunication between officials led Carrollton Mayor Robb Adams to warn residents the gates were accidentally opened and that communities along the Kentucky River should evacuate. He apologized Monday, citing "bad information." On Monday afternoon, Kentucky State Police confirmed the body of Lee Chandler, 27, had been found in far west Kentucky, marking the third death of the flooding event, while minutes later Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed a fourth death in Trigg County. Chandler was swept away while trying to retrieve his boat Sunday, police said at the time. Two other people, a 9-year-old boy in Frankfort and a 74-year-old woman in Boston, have died amid the floods, according to the governor and local officials. The governor did not identify the 65-year-old Trigg County man who was killed. But local outlet WKDZ reported the body of David Duncan was found Monday morning in a truck that had been overcome by floodwaters. Beshear also warned an overnight freeze warning was likely Monday night heading into a chilly Tuesday and urged Bluegrass State residents to continue to take precautions as rivers and other waterways near peak levels. "Do not drive through water, do not move barricades, because remember, if you do that, you're not just making a bad decision for yourself, you could cause the harm or even death to that next person that comes along," he added. More than 500 state roads were closed at the start of the week due to high waters. Temperatures in Louisville on Tuesday are expected to remain in the mid to upper 40s, according to the National Weather Service, before rising back into the upper 50s and lower 60s Wednesday and Thursday. Some precipitation is expected Wednesday night heading into Thursday. In cases of life-threatening emergencies, Beshear said, call 911. For immediate issues that do not put lives at risk, call 502-607-6665 or visit Emergency management crews from several other states are currently in the commonwealth supporting the National Guard, KSP and other first responders. "Four days of severe storms have brought devastation to so many communities," Beshear said. "... To all the rescue teams from here in the commonwealth or from other states that have come to aid us, thank you for helping our people. Thanks for answering the call once again." Reporters Marina Johnson, Leo Bertucci, Connor Giffin, Stephanie Kuzydym and Killian Baarlaer contributed. Reach The Courier Journal's news team at lounews@ This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville waits for Ohio River flood to crest after days of rain
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Kentucky officials left scrambling as rumor dam gates were accidentally opened spreads
CARROLLTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — As Kentucky battles deadly statewide flooding, officials are scrambling to clear the air after an inadvertent evacuation notice was issued. On Sunday, April 6, in a live Facebook video, Carrollton Mayor Robb Adams warned that 10 gates at Dix Dam on the Kentucky River were accidentally opened and that anyone downstream needed to evacuate immediately. RELATED | Carroll County residents ordered to evacuate as water level rises: Here's what we know 'If you're on the Kentucky River corridor, anywhere, and you're seeing this video, you need to evacuate and evacuate immediately,' Adams said. Adams claimed that the warning came from state officials in Frankfort. Later that evening, LG&E and KU stated that the information being spread was false, the release was planned, and there was no need to panic. We want to clarify some incorrect information that was shared today regarding a release at our Dix Dam generating station in Burgin. Reports that 10 gates were inadvertently opened at Dix Dam are inaccurate. On Friday evening, we opened spill gates in a controlled fashion according to our Dam Safety Procedures. Per protocol, a notification was sent out Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. alerting local officials and emergency personnel that a planned release would be beginning in a few hours. The National Weather Service was provided the same notification which was then relayed to the Ohio River Forecast Center to be factored into its river forecasts. For additional context, we only release inflow to Lake Herrington and no additional water into the river—meaning the flow of water is what would normally be in the river under current conditions. Flow into Herrington Lake has since subsided, and we are in the process of closing gates to maintain lake level until the Kentucky River crest subsides. Only 6 gates are currently open, and we are expecting to close additional gates this evening. LG&E and KU Later that evening, Adams apologized for the mistake. Fight in Pike County parking lot ends in fatal gunfire Kentucky officials left scrambling as rumor dam gates were accidentally opened spreads Swollen rivers are flooding Kentucky towns after a prolonged deluge of rain 'All I did was pass along what we had at the time; all I'm doing now is passing along new, clear information,' Adams said. 'Somewhere, there was a miscommunication.' However, he stated that it is expected to have the same impact on Carroll County, and mandatory evacuations are still in place for the Carrollton area. In Gov. Andy Beshear's severe weather update on Monday morning, he said that the state is 'working to get to the bottom' of how this occurred. 'I think KU said that they were operating under their plan, but we need to make sure that we're all operating under one plan that benefits every single community that can be impacted,' Beshear emphasized. Latest central Kentucky weather forecast He said the next steps include speaking with KU and emergency management to ensure transparency regarding 'how many of those gates are being opened and about what the potential impact can be.' Beshear admitted that communication is one area for improvement. 'That's one area where we need to do better, and on the communication side, we need to do better. Let me tell you, the mayor of Carrollton was only operating under, trying to help his people and others the best he could,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
