PADUCAH, KY. (WSIL) -- Water levels of the Ohio River continue to rise after heavy rainfall, resulting in widespread flooding. In response, the city of Paducah has completed the installation of floodgates along the downtown riverfront.
Mayor George Bray of Paducah says the city fast-tracked installation originally planned for Monday morning to Sunday morning following heavy rainfall over the weekend. The crews finished installing the floodgates midday Tuesday.
"We will watch the river levels and we will not take the gates down until we are absolutely sure that, that no event could happen quick enough where we wouldn't have to put them up right away," says Mayor Bray.
Initial forecasted predicted 51.5 feet crest levels. The City of Paducah announced the crest level forecast now shows 49.5 feet, meaning the water will stay below the bottom of the floodgates.
The City of Paducah also announced crews have been installing the Hesco bastion protective system at the Convention Center. They say these are metal baskets that get filled with sand stacked on top of the current levee for flood protection.
Mayor Bray says while it is a relief to know the water won't reach or surpass the walls, relief is still to come for those who experienced flooding in their homes.
"The crest is going to remain here a lot longer and so people that have been displaced out of their homes, are not going to get relief for, it looks like at least a couple of weeks," says Bray. "The next few weeks just really is getting people back in their homes, getting them the opportunity to apply to FEMA if that condition exists and just supporting them in any way possible."
Preparations are fully underway throughout McCracken County as the river approaches it's predicted crest next Wednesday, April 16th at 49.5 feet.
