Hopkinsville City Council discusses stormwater mitigation

After receiving historic rainfall levels that resulted in floods, officials from the Hopkinsville Public Works Department and Surface and Stormwater Utility discussed water mitigation at Tuesday’s Hopkinsville City Council meeting.

In February, Hopkinsville was impacted by icy temperatures and floodwaters that covered multiple roadways. Then, in early April, around 14 inches of rain fell across Christian County, resulting in major and long-lasting floods in some areas. Recently, in late June, around four inches of rain fell within an hour, causing flash floods.

Hopkinsville has already received around 60 inches of rainfall so far in 2025 and Public Works Director Mike Perry says that's the amount the city typically receives each year. The city’s stormwater drainage system can handle an inch of rain per hour, but that has been exceeded by recent weather events.

However, Perry says complete reconstruction of the city’s drainage system would cost billions of dollars.

Looking toward recent weather patterns, Perry says areas across the country are experiencing an increase in floods. Since they can’t control Mother Nature, Perry says he and Stormwater Utility have been discussing ways to improve the current drainage system.

Residents can help in the effort by ensuring their yards are clean and trash is properly disposed of. During past rain events, Perry says drains have become clogged by litter.

To further mitigate future floods, Steven Bourne the manager of Stormwater Utility says they are focused on cleaning out Little River and other water retention areas; starting a possible flood-proofing program; applying for grants and purchasing a camera system to examine drainage pipes.

Bourne says they also plan to see if current rain and flood gauges can be equipped with warning systems that alert to high water levels.

Ward 2 Council Member, Brandi Stallons was impacted by flash floods that formed on June 28. As flooding becomes more prevalent, she says it’s imperative for them to remain proactive to prevent any flood-related deaths from occurring in Hopkinsville.

Perry and Bourne will appear at future council meetings to provide updates concerning stormwater mitigation work.

To conclude the meeting, the council approved two zoning ordinances for portions of land directly north and south of Martin Luther King Jr. Way. They approved for the southern portion to be zoned as an arterial commercial district and the northern portion behind Lowes to be zoned as an agricultural transitional district.