Even as rain leaves, flooding issues continue

Published 1:40 pm Monday, April 7, 2025

By Jack Dobbs

Even though a multi-day weather event has now ended, Bowling Green and areas across the region are facing continued flooding and road closures as water levels rose and low lying areas became submerged.

“We still have four or five days of high water that’s going to be possible both in the city and county,” Warren County Judge-Executive Doug Gorman said following a Monday Warren County Emergency Management meeting.

The four-day weather event dropped 10.1 inches of rain on Warren County, according to the Kentucky Mesonet. While damage assessments are still going on, Gorman said early estimates place damage costs at “hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more.” No fatalities have been reported.

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Doing the math, this amount equates to almost 96.2 billion gallons of water. For reference, the storm that caused flooding across southcentral Kentucky and central Tennessee in 2010 dropped 9.8 inches.

A Scott & Ritter truck exits the Spring Lakes subdivision as crews construct a temporary road at the rear of the neighborhood to allow those stuck in the KOA Campgrounds to leave on Monday, April 7. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

“The karst system does not have the ability to handle 10 inches of rain in a short amount of time,” Gorman said. “ … It’s almost like filling a bathtub up from the drain. It’s coming back up.”

Roads remain closed across the region. District 3 of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reported nearly 60 highway closures across the area as of 9 a.m. Monday, nine of which were in Warren County. KYTC also stated the Interstate 165 interchange at exit 26 in Butler County was closed.

Crews with Bowling Green Public Works and Scott & Ritter constructed a temporary road Sunday in the Spring Lakes subdivision near Basil Griffin Park and the KOA Campgrounds, allowing residents to bypass a section of Three Springs Road that was flooded.

Another temporary road was being built at the back of the subdivision Monday morning, allowing those trapped in the campgrounds to exit. BGPW head Andy Souza told the Daily News that around 70 motorhomes and RV trailers were in the campground.

Multiple waterways have crested. Both Drake’s Creek and Barren River crested Sunday, and Barren River was expected to crest again at 1 a.m. Monday morning.

“We have hit the crest for this storm,” Souza said Monday. “We think we’re going to continue to see a decline in the Barren River.”

High water levels in Basil Griffin Park are seen on Monday, April 7. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

Jennings Creek has also crested, but an increase in water levels at Jennings Creek and Drake’s Creek are not expected, Souza said.

Gorman and Bowling Green Mayor Todd Alcott both declared local states of emergency on Sunday. Sinkholes are another concern for local government. City Manager Jeff Meisel said Monday that there are eight documented sinkholes across the city and the county.

Gorman said Monday that an American Red Cross shelter is now open at Michael O. Buchanon Park south of town for those whose homes have flooded. The shelter opened at noon Monday.

Meisel said Monday, “we’re still not out of the woods” and urged the public to take precautions. He said local law enforcement has been instructed to issue citations for drivers who disobey road blocks.

“We don’t need to exacerbate our problems with people getting out (and) trying to get through places they don’t need to be getting into,” he said. “If there’s a road block up or a sign up, they need to avoid that area.”

Jack covers city government for the Daily News. Originally from Simpson County, he attended Western Kentucky University and graduated in 2022 with a degree in journalism.

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