As Bowling Green and Warren County await a presidential disaster declaration to access federal relief for recent flooding, local government has teamed up with a group of area nonprofits and agencies to create the Bowling Green-Warren County Community Recovery Center, which will open at Michael O. Buchanon Park south of town on Monday.

The center will be located in the gymnasium at Buchanon Park and will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The CRC is open to victims of the flooding in Warren County and services from HOTEL INC, the Housing Authority of Bowling Green and the Warren County Health Department, along with other local groups.

Services available include access to clean-up kits, debris removal, vaccination reviews, case management and, from the American Red Cross, temporary shelter.

“We encourage citizens to go to the park and see what resources are available,” Warren County Emergency Management Deputy Director Charlie O’Neal said during a Friday press conference. “There are people well versed in these procedures and they’re available to assist.”

A multi-day stretch of heavy rain dropped 10.1 inches of water on Warren County, according to the Kentucky Mesonet. The rainfall led to flooding across the county, submerging roads and homes and leading to sinkholes.

Debi West, public information officer for the City of Bowling Green, told the press Friday that assessments have revealed damage to 196 structures across the city.

“Of those damaged structures, 17 had to be evacuated and are marked at 100% substantial flooding,” she said.

Damage estimates total $6.3 million. Though waters are receding, West said four city roads, Brighton Avenue, Maple Lane, Boxwood Drive and the 2900 block of Edward Drive remain closed.

West said the city is currently tracking 26 sinkholes within city limits, of which 15 are in the city’s jurisdiction. Combined with the county, there are roughly 50 sinkholes spread across public and private property.

“This week has tested our community in unimaginable ways,” West said. “We have always shown strength in unity, and as we begin our road to recovery I would like for us to lift each other up with compassion and resilience.”

No fatalities have been reported due to flooding. Residents are urged to continue avoiding floodwaters since they can carry sewage along with sharp objects which can lead to infection, including hepatitis A and tetanus.

A damage threshold has to be met before aid from FEMA can be administered. Damage must be “$630,000 or better,” he said, a number already met just through damage to public infrastructure.

Across the state, each county that declared a state of emergency, including Warren, has to submit data to the state. The state then sends the data to Washington.

To access aid from the federal government, a formal disaster declaration must be issued by the president, though one has not yet been made. When asked about this, O’Neal credits the delay to the scale of the flooding statewide.

“In the Commonwealth of Kentucky right now, 62 counties out of 120 have declared states of emergency,” he said. “In addition … a number of cities have declared states of emergency.

“I’m fairly certain that that’s the reason for the delay, but I’m equally certain that they’re coming,” he said.