HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Nearly one year after an unprecedented flood hit Christian County and devasted other areas Kentucky, Hopkinsville Surface and Stormwater Utility is putting in the work to combat future flooding issues through flyovers and community reports.
In early April of 2025, heavy and persistent rainfall flooded large areas of downtown Hopkinsville and surrounding neighborhoods. It took the city multiple weeks to full eradicate floodwaters, with one Hopkinsville neighborhood having over 13 million gallons of water manually removed via pump. During the flood event, highwater surrounded the Christian County Jail as the Little River rose multiple feet, with businesses on North Drive and nearby severely damaged along with over 150 homes.
“Every rainfall is different; you don’t just have a one size fits all and that’s what we saw this past year,” said Steve Bourne, manager with HSSU. “It really comes down to the intensity and how much you get over what period of time.”
The Hopkinsville Surface and Stormwater Utility was created just over 20 years ago to address surface and river flooding issues that impacted the city for many years. Their crews maintain stormwater basins in the city and manage the watershed lakes.
Buying out homes, utilizing helicopter to monitor jams
“We tell everyone stormwater management happens when the sun shines, not when it’s raining,” Bourne said, adding that work is year-round in order to prepare their systems.
After the April flood, HSSU ended up buying out just over a dozen homes that were located in flood prone areas in the north and south fork of the Little River, which have since been demolished. They have since initiated multiple engineering studies for areas that are heavily impacted by drainage issues.
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As we head into spring, they are focused on clearing pathways for water in the event of heavy rain. 25 log jams along the Little River have recently been removed by HSSU crews with 50 other remedial projects also tackled that include establishing ditch lines, repairing culvers, and other projects that aid in water flow.
These remediation efforts take plane on land and in the air. On March 12, HSSU planned to hold their annual flyover to get a better view of potential jams.
Bourne explained, “We rent a helicopter and we fly over both the south and north forks of the Little River to find out where specific log jams might be, so we can make sure the rivers are clean and able to flow well when we do receive heavy rainfall events.”
Additional maintenance efforts, how residents can help
Since last year, they have attempted to increase their transparency with the community, establishing a social media page to share their projects and goals. Flood gauges are live on their website along with a flood inundation mapper, allowing people to monitor local flood levels at all times.
As storms already begin to move through the region, extra challenges are posed as leaves and tree limbs create issues with drainage. However, Bourne told Christian County Now that Hopkinsville Public Works is committed to eliminating obstructions alongside HSSU.
Residents who see limb build ups or log jams in the Little River or drainage system are encouraged to report it to HSSU. People can also help the system by keeping yard waste and trash out of storm trains, and maintaining ditches, swales, and inlets on personal property.
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