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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District team jumped into action, working around the clock to actively monitor and mitigate flooding impacts across Kentucky in mid-February. Wide-spread moderate to major flooding occurred throughout the Commonwealth and resulted in elevated water levels at many of the district’s Flood Risk Management reservoirs.
In response, the district’s water management, dam safety and operations teams were closely monitoring conditions to manage potential flooding and minimize impacts on navigation.
“Our Operations, Engineering and Emergency Management teams have been closely monitoring the weather forecasts and are proactively making adjustments to reservoir operations,” said Col. L. Reyn Mann, USACE Louisville District commander in a news release Feb. 14, 2025. “We remain in close coordination with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as navigation industry partners, to reduce flood risks and protect our communities.”
Throughout the event, USACE flood risk management projects functioned as designed, holding back water to prevent further downstream flooding. During the event, Carr Creek Lake in Sassafras, Kentucky, reached its second highest pool of record at 1049.3 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) and nearby Buckhorn Lake in Buckhorn, Kentucky, also reached its second highest pool of record since 1963, at 837.2 feet MSL. USACE maintenance staff at the projects remained on-site 24/7 to actively monitor water levels and perform gate operations as necessary to manage flood storage.
“Operations never takes a day off,” said Willie Whitaker, operations manager for the Upper Kentucky River Area.
Dedicated Louisville District team members worked diligently across Kentucky to make a difference in their communities.
“Our Operations Division staff in the Green River Area, including personnel from Nolin, Barren, Green and Rough River lakes delivered more than 4,400 sandbags to protect critical infrastructure in Canmer, Kentucky,” said Chris Boggs, operations manager for the Green River Area.
Additionally, USACE responded to multiple requests for assistance, distributing 11,000 sandbags across several counties in Kentucky.
Meanwhile, the Dam Safety team conducted thorough inspections to ensure dam integrity at seven of the district’s lake projects. The inspections, following high-water events, are a standard part of USACE’s comprehensive dam safety program.
“Dam safety is a 24/7 responsibility,” said Kyle Murray Louisville District geotechnical engineer who conducted an inspection of Nolin River Lake Dam Feb. 17. “At the end of the day, it’s all a matter of public safety.”
The Louisville District Water Management team worked tirelessly to evaluate forecasts and manage reservoir operations, to avoid millions of dollars in flood damages for downstream communities.
The Navigation team and lock and dam operators worked closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and the towing industry to maintain safe navigation on the Ohio and Green Rivers. High water on the Ohio River temporarily caused locking operations to cease at Newburgh Locks and Dam, but industry was able to transit over the fixed weir.
In a broader coordination effort, Louisville District Outreach Coordinator Brandon Brummett organized a call with more than 40 representatives from Kentucky Emergency Management, the Kentucky Division of Water, FEMA, U.S. Geological Survey, the National Weather Service, and USACE’s Huntington, Nashville and Memphis Districts to discuss ongoing operations and opportunities for interagency cooperation.
The Louisville District’s Emergency Operations Center is assisting the state and FEMA with any requests for assistance. The State of Kentucky received a Major Disaster Declaration Feb. 24, 2025, authorizing individual and public assistance for 10 counties in Eastern Kentucky.
As of Feb. 26, USACE has deployed 11 personnel to provide technical expertise for Water/Wastewater and Debris. Seven debris team members are performing initial debris assessments in the affected areas.
“It takes a dedicated team and strong partnerships to mount an effective response to these types of catastrophic events,” Mann said. “We are prepared to support any State requests that FEMA directs us, and we remain committed to our partners as recovery efforts continue across Kentucky.”
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.04.2025 12:10 |
| Story ID: | 491978 |
| Location: | KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USACE Louisville District responds to flooding across Kentucky, by Abby Korfhage, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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