Eastern Kentucky is facing a crisis. Our rivers and creeks are no longer what they once were. Over decades, sediment buildup has raised riverbeds and creek beds by multiple feet, drastically reducing their capacity to handle rainfall. The result? More frequent, catastrophic floods that are devastating our communities.

 

The flood on February 15, 2025, was just the latest example. With only 3-5 inches of rain in 24 hours—on already saturated ground—water overtook homes, businesses, and roads. Letcher, Pike, Perry, Knott, and surrounding counties suffered severe flooding yet again. In Letcher County, my home, which sits hundreds of feet from the North Fork of the Big Sandy and elevated, was flooded with four feet of water in 2022. Last night, floodwaters reached my garage and came within one inch of entering my home again. Many others were not as lucky.

 

This disaster was avoidable. During the 2022 flood cleanup, crews were directed not to remove sediment, only flood debris. We knew then that this failure to act would set us up for even worse flooding in the future—and here we are. If we know that dipping the sediment from the creeks to bedrock will have a profound affect on how our waterways handle large amounts of precipitation, then why aren’t we making plans to get this accomplished? How many more times must we endure this before action is taken?

 

We Demand Immediate Action:

 

 1. Dredge all major and minor waterways to bedrock to restore their natural capacity.

 2. Fund and implement a long-term flood prevention plan that includes regular maintenance of creek and riverbeds.

 3. Remove regulatory barriers that prevent sediment removal in flood-prone areas.

 

If we are going to live in Eastern Kentucky, this must change. Our communities are becoming uninhabitable. We refuse to accept that flooding is inevitable when a clear solution exists. It is time for our state and federal leaders to act before more homes, businesses, and lives are lost.

 

Sign this petition to demand action now. Let’s fight for the future of Eastern Kentucky.

 

— Concerned Citizens of Eastern Kentucky