Crews have completed floodgate installation in Paducah and are waiting to see if any additional gates other than the 20 that have been placed, will be needed.
Paducah expects the floodgates to be in place for several days since the latest forecast shows the Ohio River at Paducah to hold above 48 feet until Wednesday, March 7.
According to a release from The City of Paducah, pump stations are in operation due to the river level. The first pump station began operating when the river was at 27.5 feet.
FAQ—What is the Ohio River stage that would cause water to flow down Broadway if the City didn’t have a floodwall and a floodgate at that location? The answer is 50 feet. When the Ohio River stage is at 50 feet, water would begin to flow through the floodwall opening at the foot of Broadway if no floodgate was installed. Please note that the current forecast has the river cresting at 49 feet. The City plans to install the foot of Broadway floodgate and surrounding floodgates as a precaution.
As of Feb. 28 at noon, the river stage is 49.65 ft. which is 10.65 feet over flood stage. The river is expected to rise to 50 ft. around Mar. 4-5.
